House Of Representatives Commission I: The Government's Commitment To Protect Indonesian Migrant Workers Is Getting Better

Member of Commission I DPR RI Christina Aryani. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

Member of Commission I DPR RI Christina Aryani assessed that the government's commitment to protecting Indonesian Migrant Workers (PMI) is getting better through various policies implemented by the government to ensure the rights of migrant workers are protected.

The policy, according to him, includes, among other things, a scheme for departing the procedural path based on requirements and competence, as well as a quick response of Indonesian representatives abroad to handle cases that befell migrant workers.

"In addition, there are currently intensive data collection of Indonesian citizens in placement countries so that the state can monitor and provide assistance and protection," said Christina in Jakarta, quoted from Antara, Saturday, December 31.

However, he assessed that PMI protection was not without problems because when serious efforts were made to ensure it, there were still many non-procedural PMI departure practices with syndicate involvement that could not be separated from the role of individuals or human smuggling cartels:

According to him, this is a serious note that PMI's protection commitment must be strong not only at the policy level but mainly in practice and supervision in the field.

"The last case is the discovery of the rampant departure of migrant workers to Malaysia via Batam, so it is appropriate to be a serious evaluation so that the President ensures that the commitment to protect PMI must be followed by field work to eradicate illegal PMI sending syndicates," he said.

Christina assessed that the government also needs to continue to build communication with the country's authority for the placement of migrant workers so that they have the same commitment regarding the protection of PMI.

According to him, the planned arrival of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on January 8, 2023, must be a momentum to strengthen the protection commitment followed by concrete steps by the Malaysian authorities.

"I also give my appreciation to the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which has been at our forefront to continue to strengthen diplomacy related to PMI protection," he said.

He hopes that in the future all parties will work simultaneously, together to ensure efforts to eradicate illegal shipping syndicates must be followed by strict supervision in the field, while continuing to carry out state diplomacy consistently.