During the Gala Dinner at the workshop in Bali, I was discussing with Mr. Asa Silalahi, Economic Attaché of Indonesia Embassy in South Africa. He expressed his concern regarding the complicated bureaucracy to place Indonesia workers overseas,
I was explaining to him the procedure to bring in Indonesia workers to overseas. For Binamandiri, we already have many experience to process necessary documentation for placement especially for new market, as Binamandiri currently has succeed to become pilot company for placement to New Zealand and Seychelles this year.
For the first time Indonesia Manpower company has to come first to destination country, makes the Demand Letter and Cooperation MOU with Recruitment Agency or Direct User. Once both parties agree with the term and condition and the demand letter feasible for Indonesia workers to come in, then the next step is to get legalization from JP or Notary Office. Once all documents are ready, then we submit to Indonesia Embassy to get the legalization. That is first step of the procedure which has to be done in destination country in person.
The second step is to apply for recruitment letter from BNP2TKI with all the documents that we process in destination country. From BNP2TKI Recruitment letter, we process again to get Regional Recruitment Letter from BP2TKI or BP3TKI in Province.
Those process will take approximately 2 – 4 weeks and before we can actually advertise and recruit for the prospective candidates.
Mr. Asa quite stunned with the process, very long and complicated. Well, that is normative procedure. That's why if we get an offer from Overseas Client, sometimes if we just follow the normative procedure, we always loose the offer after finished all documentation. But if We have to recruit first, the government will afraid that without any legal procedure, it will end up with deception towards Indonesia workers who has been recruited and cannot be place.
Basically it just like you ask what comes first an egg or a chicken ? It is about wise policy from Indonesia Government.
Although Mr. Asa offers to simplify the procedure by courier instead of actually come in person to South Africa, which normally will be big investment, I think the manpower should come in person to South Africa to get actual knowledge about South Africa.
So, look forward to see you, Mr. Asa on third week of November 2008 ......