Taiwan Process Postponed for Uncertain Time

It is already more than a week since 13 May 2009, Indonesia Police Headquarters (HQ) has not issued any police letter. The incident is caused by the discovering of fraud Police Letter by Police HQ, when they raid staffs of various Indonesia Recruitment Agencies who happened processing the visa application for Indonesia Overseas Workers at TETO.
Rumors said around 12 people of Indonesia Recruitment Agencies Staffs who caught in hand to use fraud paperwork. Since then, the Police HQ conducts full scale of investigation towards any individual who manufacture fraud Police Letter and also Police station in District, Regional and Provincial, who frequently issued Police Letter for Indonesia Overseas Workers.

We would like to inform to all Taiwan Employers and Agencies that the visa process in Indonesia has been postponed and no time certainty when the Police HQ will issue Police Letter, probably once the investigation finished.
Police Letter issued by Indonesia Police HQ is one of the main requirements to obtain visa at TETO.
We hope understanding from Employers and Agencies for this incident, as it is beyond our power to resolve it, and it is all up to Indonesia Police HQ.

In the future, there will be expected sudden cancellation for confirmed Indonesia workers, as currently TETO has straighten the checking of Birth Certificate of the applicants. It has been found many fraud cases of Birth Certificate, and TETO already suspend more than 10 Indonesia Recruitment Agencies who allegedly produce and use the fraud documents. TETO already suspected involvement of Indonesia officials in certain Region to provide such documents.

Hopefully, the measure that has been taken by Police and TETO which it should be Depnakertrans and BNP2TKI job in supervising, can select professional Indonesia Recruitment Agencies out from the unprofessional ones who already caused many problems in placement business

Referral of Insurance and Donation from Friends and Indonesia Consulate in Hong Kong

 for the Late Tri Cahyanti Beneficiary

Indonesia Labor Attache visited Binamandiri

Ms. Sri Setiawati, Indonesia Labor Attache in Hong Kong, visited Binamandiri

Pink Kebaya for Kartini Day @Binamandiri

Nakerwan is the New Kartini

Every 21st April Indonesia celebrates Kartini Day to commemorate Raden Ayu Kartini, a residence's wife who set up the milestone for emancipation and women empowerment. R.A. Kartini was a figure to encourage women to be treated equally with men especially in terms of education.

Nowadays, her legacy can be seen in Indonesia. Indonesian women now are as capable as men in all positions, even in certain cases some women can overcome men. Those women are the New Kartini.

Ones of the New Kartini are Indonesian Overseas Female Workers or we called them “Nakerwan”.

Currently there are approximately 4 million Nakerwan scattered all over the world to obtain Dollar in foreign countries. Those Nakerwan mostly are low educated and came from poor villages all over Indonesia. They sacrifice their life in Indonesia, leave their love ones, husband, parents, sons-daughters for one big purpose, to earn high salary in order to increase their welfare back in the village.

Does it worth for sacrificed ?

YES IT DOES, at least for Indonesia. 

Indonesia gain big economic advantage from those Nakerwan. According to Mr. Jumhur Hidayat, Head of National Board of Placement and Protection Indonesia Workers Overseas (BNP2TKI), The remittance from Nakerwan becomes Indonesia's number one income from Non-Oil Sector else for one year fiscal, the amount is enormous, it is three times from direct foreign investment to Indonesia. He gave an example that each year Madiun Regency enjoys 72 billion Rupiah from Nakerwan's Remittance while its domestic revenue is only 30 billion Rupiah, half of the remittance and it boost Madiun's economy and welfare.

President SBY on his speech towards Anticipation on Global Economic Crisis, put Nakerwan's remittance as the third pillar to make Indonesia survive from the crisis.

More than those above, each nakerwan works in overseas, can lift up 4 people from poverty and unemployment in the villages.

From Nakerwan side, she can support her husband and her family, pays for her children tuition, builds house and as capital for her for productive purposes. Men should be ashamed for those New Kartini who sacrificed her life to support him, if he just waste the money for useless things.

UNFORTUNATELY, Nakerwan, the Economic heroine, is treated almost the same as Raden Ayu Kartini, by Indonesia Government and some Indonesian societies, scorned. That's not all extortion and ripping off by government officials and crooks always surround Nakerwan. 

Not like Philippines both the people and government who gives big appreciation to its female workers overseas, Indonesian still looks down on Nakerwan.

Some high level societies think that Nakerwan is disgrace for Indonesia and marked Indonesia as Country of Domestic Helper Exporter. Well is true, and what's wrong, those Nakerwan is a legal worker and they place legally to overseas. That presumption mostly issued by society from Feudal Generation who think for themselves and never think to make an effort to lift up villager, more than that they should mirror themselves that Domestic Workers in overseas received clear work contract, equal treatment, high salary, and holiday compare with their treatment to domestic helpers.

Although in black and white, the Indonesia government, gives a big attention to Nakerwan, unfortunately hundred and eighty degree in practice. Nakerwan is the source of extortion and ripping off, and those actions 99% happened in Indonesia. Nakerwan has to pass at least 18 desks if they want to work legally and each desks will have legal and underdesk payment with absurd amount of money thus not exclude others extortion in Airport when they arrived back to Indonesia.

There is a banner in Airport “Welcome Home Economic heroine”, but from porter, police, immigration and other officers seems to be racing to extort money from Nakerwan who return to Indonesia, as if they are new naïve rich people and somehow the government seems hopeless to handle it. Many stories I heard from my colleagues and I experienced by myself how those public servant treat badly to our heroine.

It is not enough for the public servant and crooks to rip off the Nakerwan, the banking system also very less supported to Nakerwan. Although Banks enjoy trillions Rupiah from their remittance, unfortunately Nakerwan has to pay commercial interest for their loans and somehow along with administration, provision, transfer fee and other ridiculous fees, the interest can achieve up to 75% per year.

Binamandiri doesn't deny that most Indonesia manpower agencies are thinking for profit only rather than social responsibility. Thus creates poor treatment and many scams towards Nakerwan while they are in Training Center.

Many works have to be done if Indonesia wants to appreciate our New Kartini.

Hopefully with the current election can bring new government who gives more attention to Nakerwan in the future, uphold their rights and give big appreciation for their effort as Ambassador for Indonesia.

In this Kartini Day, Binamandiri salutes to Nakerwan all over the world, thank you for all your effort for Indonesia economy and welfare. You all are New Kartini.

The New Kartini at Indonesia Consulate in Hong Kong

Thank you.

This article is dedicated all Nakerwan to commemorate Kartini Day, 21st April 2009.