Prevention Of Illegal Indonesian Migrant Workers Continues Abroad, Minister Karding Meets Malaysian Minister Of Development Sarawak

P2MI Minister Abdul Kadir Karding met with the Minister of the Food, Commodity and Development Industry of the Sarawak, Malaysia area, Datuk Sri Stephen Rundi Anak Utom in Malaysia on Thursday 22 May. (KemenP2MI)

JAKARTA - Indonesian Migrant Worker Protection Minister (P2MI) Abdul Kadir Karding met with the Minister of the Food Industry, Commodities and Development of the Sarawak area, Malaysia, Datuk Sri Stephen Rundi Anak Utom at the State Invitation Council Building, Malaysia on Thursday 22 May.

During the meeting, Minister Karding discussed the protection of Indonesian migrant workers in Sawawak, which is now quite high in number. He emphasized that protection efforts can be carried out by the Malaysian state of Sarawak by minimizing the departure of illegal migrant workers from Indonesia

"We want protection, especially regarding issues related to illegal or non-procedural workers from Indonesia, we are currently fixing domestic issues to reduce, minimize non-procedural departures," said Minister Karding.

"Of course we also hope that there is one policy in this country, in this country to also help reduce non-procedural departing workers because it becomes a burden for the two countries," he added.

On the same occasion, the two of them also discussed cooperation in expanding the placement of Indonesian workers in Sarawak.

Minister Karding said, Datuk Sri Stephen Rundi Anak Utom agreed to add a job sector other than agriculture for Indonesian migrant workers in Serawak.

"We also agree to encourage jobs that work not only in fields and in agriculture, but also in other sectors such as veterinarians, engineers, and sectors that Sarawak does need," said Minister Karding.

Minister Karding said Indonesia has a high labor force. Through the Ministry of Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers (KemenP2MI), he continued, Indonesia is ready to add skilled migrant workers in Sarawak.

"In principle, we have a fairly large labor force, a total of 152.2 million. We are ready to send here with a fairly good qualification or skill standard," said Minister Karding.

On the other hand, Datuk Sri Stephen Rundi Anak Utom said that his party needed skilled workers from Indonesia to jointly build Sarawak into an advanced region.

"We also talk not only to field workers, but also professional workers such as veterinarians and engineers and so on. So that we can be together, continue to be called to workforce to wake Sarawak," said Datuk Sri Stephen Rundi Anak Utom.

Datuk Sri Stephen Rundi Anak Utom said that his party could not wait to come to Indonesia to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) regarding the expansion of the sector for the placement of Indonesian migrant workers in Sarawak.

"I have also been picked up to visit Indonesia. To find out more, we will also hold a memorandum of understanding, so that the work and work taken we can consolidate virtues and certainty," said Datuk Sri Stephen Rundi Anak Utom.