JAKARTA - Head of the Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection Agency (BP2MI) Benny Rhamdani said there were illegal travelers who took advantage of PMI's return handlers or Indonesian workers (TKI) in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
It is known, currently PMI who have just returned from abroad are required to carry out quarantine. When they just arrived in Indonesia, they underwent a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test to find out whether the PMI was infected with the corona virus.
While waiting for the PCR results for about three days, PMI was quarantined at the Pademangan Athletes House. After receiving the specimen test results, PMI who tested positive for COVID-19 must undergo further quarantine at the Kemayoran Athlete House. While the negative ones are allowed to go home.
In this situation, there are illegal travelers who take advantage of the situation by bringing back PMI who do not want to undergo quarantine and immediately return to their hometowns.
"There are illegal travelers trying to enter the Wisma Atlet area. They want to take advantage of their dirty business to PMIs. PMI is directed to use certain travel services," Benny said in a discussion at Graha BNPB, East Jakarta, Sunday, June 28.
In fact, BP2MI has appealed to PMI to be careful of illegal travel that takes advantage of this situation. This is because, he said, PMI would be harmed by quite expensive tariffs.
"Most of the cases that occur, they are actually slaughtered (blackmailed) at an unreasonable price. Then, if they do not want to meet the price set by travel, they can be stopped halfway," said Benny.
Therefore, BP2MI immediately contacted the Chief of Staff of President Moeldoko so that he could coordinate with the Pangdam Jaya apparatus and take action to limit the space for illegal travel.
"We indeed have to protect this crime with collaborative work and to this day it is quite effective. We are grateful to the ranks of the TNI who took a firm stance on not giving anyone room to take advantage of the COVID-19 situation," he explained.
Number of PMI who have returned homeAs of today, it is recorded that 162,000 PMIs have returned to Indonesia. Some have returned to their hometowns and some are still undergoing quarantine. Benny said that BP2MI estimated that 50,114 other PMIs might return home due to the expiration of their contracts in July and August.
Even though their work contract will expire, it is not certain that PMI will return to Indonesia. However, BP2MI is still preparing for the return escort and quarantine for the foreign exchange hero.
"Not forever those who will end their contract to continue their work in the country of placement must return to their homeland. They can extend their contracts in the placement country," said Benny.
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