25 Balinese Residents Struck In Turkey Allegedly Deceived By Job Promises, Denpasar BP2MI Sends Letter Requesting Repatriation

Ankara Turki/UNSPLASH

DENPASAR - As many as 25 Balinese are reported to have been displaced in Turkey. They are suspected of being victims of fraud by being promised jobs but only using vacation visas when leaving.

Head of the Technical Implementation Unit (UPT) of the Indonesian Migrant Worker Protection Agency (BP2MI) for the Denpasar, Bali Region, Wiam Satriawan said his party had followed up on this incident by sending a letter to the Central BP2MI.

"We have followed up. That this is indeed the responsibility of the state and the state must be present in resolving this case," said Wiam when contacted, Friday, March 11.

It received the information on March 6th. On March 9, 2022, his party sent a letter to BP2MI to be forwarded to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kemenlu).

"As soon as I heard the news, after I analyzed it and discussed it, we wrote a letter to the Central BP2MI. Because the authority to contact or relate to other ministries, in this case the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Indonesian representatives abroad, is at the center and the regions cannot. , we sent a letter requesting and facilitating or processing the repatriation," he added.

Later the letter will be received by the Indonesian Embassy in Ankara, Turkey.

"In the end, the letter will surely arrive at the Indonesian Embassy in Ankara in Turkey. But decisions or talks or whatever the progress is there, at the Indonesian Embassy in Ankara, just wait for news from there," he said.

Wiam said, from the information he received, 25 Balinese were left in limbo because they only used holiday visas. They left with the promise of a job.

"They left on holiday visas and were promised jobs by individuals. Those who placed these were individuals, not agencies. It was promised by those who placed them, later you will patiently wait for 1 and 3 months to find work with a residence permit," he said.

However, because jobs could not be found in the end, the 25 Balinese were left stranded because they had no income.

"I don't know exactly what (their condition) is now, but what I hear is that they move around. They continue to live in cramped (apartments). I hope that this case will be resolved in Turkey in Ankara. Then the decision will be sent home, that's my hope, the most important thing is Now their safety is there," he said.