When is due date on RI-Malaysia MOU ?

21 November 2009 was the expected date from Muhaimin Iskandar, Indonesian Minister of Manpower and Transmigration, as reported by Detik.com, on resolving MOU of Placement Indonesian workers to Malaysia by both governments, so that the moratorium on placement to Malaysia can be dismissed.

2 days have past for the expected deadline, and negotiator teams from both sides still arguing on some crucial things such as new salary scheme, placement fee and others.

No designated date has been informed when most likely the MOU will be inked by both governments.

While the MOU being discussed and negotiated, it is already almost 6 months since the moratorium applied by Indonesian Government thus creates new problems in placement business. Many Malaysian agencies have closed their businesses; else the illegal placement has been increased significantly mostly using water transportation in any legal or illegal exit points along Indonesian coast on Sumatra Island.

Binamandiri talked with an agency in Malaysia, who claimed that they still can get one or two maids who came using boat, as at all airports in Indonesia, security has been tighten due to the moratorium. It just likes Bernoulli fluid law, when we compress certain point or area, then the fluid will look for other area to expand, when the government suddenly stopped the placement to Malaysia, those workers will find other ways as long as they can reach and work in Malaysia, although those ways are illegal ways, and not even the government has the effort to prevent it.

The only way to prevent those illegal activities is the good consent of both governments to put away their selfness and with good intention to realize the MOU as soon as possible.

In other news, today 23 November 2009, the Malaysia Star reported that the MOU would likely to be inked on December 2009, but no specific date has been proposed, said Malaysian Minister of Human Resources, Dr. S Subramaniam. So that moratorium could be ended by December and the Indonesian maids can start to come to Malaysia again, he claimed. He hopes all problems and disputes on the MOU can be resolved by Desember 2009, as Indonesia has proposed their readiness to resolve all the disputes and problems on MOU as soon as possible.

We do all hopes that December 2009, will be the realization of MOU, as December just only a week time

Another survey from BNP2TKI

Last Friday, 13 November 2009, Binamandiri was visited by people with BNP2TKI name tags. It was a surprised visit, as no prior information by fax or telephone call.

The people with BNP2TKI name tags introduce themselves as surveyors from Sucofindo, the same company who accredited Binamandiri for ISO 9001:2008.

They explained that BNP2TKI is appointing Sucofindo to conduct survey towards Indonesian Manpower Agencies (PPTKIS), Training Center (BLK), Insurance Companies and Medical Centers. Although they are Sucofindo people, but they on duty under BNP2TKI supervision, so they had to wear BNP2TKI name tag. They told that they have been intensively trained by BNP2TKI about the regulation and procedure for a week.

The surveyor explained that currently the government is very concerned about the problems occurred in placement and protection of Indonesian workers overseas, so they conduct survey to analyze the problems. Well, they should be concerned, very concerned, with 24.000 Indonesian workers every year end up in Embassy Shelter for various problems, from salary not being paid, harassment, torture, criminal activity, and many things, as explain by Vice Minister of Foreign Affair, there should be comprehensive action to minimize it in the future.

Firstly the survey was conducted with interview based on the questionnaire. Binamandiri thought the surveyor would ask about the current situation of placement, barriers or challenges on recruitment and placement, and many other critical issues. Quite stunned when the first chapter of the questions were about whether Binamandiri has all necessary documents to establish business related to place workers overseas. So he were asking whether Binamandiri has Notary documents, 500 million bank deposit, 3 years planning, Hinder Ordinance (HO), bla…bla…bla…and the last whether Binamandiri has SIUP or Business License. Such a ridiculous questions, it is actually obvious, we can’t operate manpower business if we don’t have business license issued by minister, and to obtain it, all the necessary documents from notary documents, bank deposit, other documents from a to z should be presented originally in front of the committee in Department of Manpower and Transmigration. It isn’t necessary to ask about all requirements documents, if Binamandiri can present SIUP, even it is not necessary to ask about Binamandiri’s SIUP, as it is still valid and registered in BNP2TKI and Depnakertrans, that’s what make the surveyor came to our place based on the data from BNP2TKI, else it is the job for the police to closing down the illegal company.

Then the interview continued with the second chapter of the questionnaire, and yet it still asked about placement documents, whether Binamandiri has SIP, whether Binamandiri using the appointed insurance company and medical center, whether PAP part of the procedure, bla…bla…bla… another series of ridiculous questions. Where it is already stated on the regulations about all the procedures to place Indonesian workers to overseas, either we have to comply with the regulation or else we can’t place them and/or facing criminal charges of illegal placement (which apparently just a few cases ever end up in court)

Third chapter of the questionnaire were about troubled TKI overseas, still about documented documents on handling any problems for TKI overseas. It was considered quite improvement compare with two previous chapters of questions. And that were it, the questionnaire. Where were the critical questions, Binamandiri thought the survey is intended to improve the placement and minimize the problems with series of critical questions?

If they were only asking about necessary documents, obviously they could always dig up in BNP2TKI or Depnakertrans database and not necessary to go all the way to Malang.

The survey continued with survey on Binamandiri premises. The surveyor where checking whether Binamandiri has room for its directors, has dormitories, has standard office facilities, but the first checking was whether Pancasila Crest and Photos of the President and Vice President are well hanging on the wall. A big question, what is the correlation whether Binamandiri already put Pancasila Crest and Photos of the President and Vice President on the wall with problems on Placement of Indonesian workers overseas ?

By the way, what happened with the survey conducted by BNP2TKI on December 2007 to January 2008 where BNP2TKI issued the result on 27 January 2008?

The result was astonishing that from 250 Indonesian Manpower Agencies who has Training Center all over Indonesia, they can only find 181 Training Centers, and the rest were unknown, and yet they still received the license. From that survey only 16 were categorize A (Very Good), 42 were B (Good) and the rest shared the rate of C for 69 and D for 17, which D is categorized Very Bad. According to the letter issued by Jumhur Hidayat, Head of BNP2TKI, those with C and D category should improve themselves and they would be evaluate within 3 to 6 months started from 1 February 2008 or else the license would be revoked. How was the follow up of Jumhur’s letter? NOTHING !!, those C and D type of Training Center still run as usual, as nothing ever happened, those unknown Training Center still remain unknown and uncertain, and the number of Manpower Companies are increasing by the year, although they are not equip with proper training center, although it is not mandatory, but it should be equip with training center if the private sector and government considered protection is the important thing.

So, how will the last survey end up ? With such method of questionnaire and survey, it is doubted can be used as source of data to evaluate the problems of placement and protection of Indonesian workers overseas.

What a waste of money and time if the survey just a collection of photocopied documents that cannot be analyzed.

Government gives free passport for TKI

During press conference to welcome 406 troubled TKI from Kuwait and Saudi Arabia on 10 November 2009 at Soekarno Hatta Airport, Minister of Law and Human Right, Patrialis Akbar, expressed his plan to exempt the expense of Passport TKI.

Today, 16 November 2009, at his office Jalan HR Rasuna Said, Patrialis Akbar held a press conference to expose 100 days program of his administration, which one of the program is to exempt the expense of Passport TKI.

Binamandiri welcomes with minister's program, but most important things, the passport process is totally free no string attached with other fees and no loop hole on the regulation that can be used by immigration officer to ask bribe money.

Currently TKI is burden with passport expense between Rp. 250.000 until Rp. 300.000 although the legal price which state in the price list sign at immigration office is only Rp. 150.000. In the cost structure for placement fee to overseas, government set the pasport only cost Rp. 150.000, the same as the sign, where actually Rp. 150.000 is only the price for the passport book and there are other fees to buy the form at immigration cooperative, fee to take picture, fee for retribution and many other fees that can be totally up to Rp. 100.000 to Rp. 150.000

That's not it, the Memorandum of Understanding between Jumhur Hidayat, BNP2TKI and previous Minister of Law and Human Right, Hamid Awaludin, about Passport TKI with 24 pages gives more burdens to TKI. If a person already have 48 pages passport, and want to work overseas, so He/She has to endorse the passport for TKI passport and it can only be done at Immigration Head Office in Jakarta, else if the cost to Jakarta too expensive, he/she doesn't have any choice to give bribe money to the immigration officer at exit point for a cost of one passport Rp.250.000 !! - and it is already under table common practice.

So, the main thing for Minister of Law and Human Rights, not just give free passport, but all unnecessary regulations and agreements that gives or it can be a loop hole to burden TKI should be revoke, and reformation of his subordinate who interact directly with TKI is a must so that TKI won't be object of exploitation by bad officers of Department of Law and Human Rights

RI-Malaysia agreed on Task Force

On the way to APEC Summit in Singapore, On 11 November 2009, President SBY took a visit to Malaysia to meet with his counterpart, Prime Minister Najib. SBY was accompanied by the new Minister of Manpower and Transmigration, Muhaimin Iskandar, and 4 others ministers. It was the first country that SBY visit after his inauguration on 20 October 2009.

There is certain urgency that SBY has to stopover in Malaysia as recently many incidents happened towards Indonesian Overseas Workers (TKI) in Malaysia, from the maltreatment of Siti Hajar on July 2009, Moratorium by Indonesian, deadlock of Inter-dept meeting between RI-Malaysia until the recent death of Muntik Bani because of maltreatment by her employer which forced Indonesian Foreign Affair department to issue Diplomatic Notes towards Malaysia

On his press conference with Prime Minister Najib, SBY expressed his satisfaction of good progress on legal protection towards TKI in Malaysia nevertheless SBY hopes improvement still continues in the future by both countries. Based on year-to-year evaluation by Indonesian Government, compare with previous years, Malaysia has made significant improvement towards in terms of protection of foreign workers, Right fulfilment and legal assurance.

Previously, Prime Minister Najib also explained that his side would like all TKI to use proper channel to work in Malaysia, in order to have legal status on his/her existence in Malaysia in order to get the protection and legal support if he/she is being exploited.

Malaysia will seek justice to those who exploits the TKI as well as Malaysian who harassment TKI who work legally in Malaysia, said Prime Minister Najib

In the news today, 16 November 2009, Minister Muhaimin Iskandar claimed that both countries has been agreed to set up Special Task Force to take care all troubled TKI in Malaysia and Indonesia will arrange the action plan of the task force to take care those TKI. While preparing the task force, Indonesia will rationalize other matters related to placement so that only those who is ready, can work in Malaysia.

Muhaimin believe that Memorandum of Understanding between Malaysia-Indonesia can be settled on 21 November 2009, and moratorium can be revoke as soon as possible

Unsung Heroes and Heroines on Heroes Day

Indonesia commemorates the heroic action of those heroes who bravely ripped of Dutch Flag and hung Indonesian Flag at Yamato Hotel in Surabaya, which caused the death of the famous British General Mallaby, as Heroes Day every 10 November.

Now, the colonialism era had ended and Indonesia is facing globalization era, where economy is taking the big role for Nation development. During this era, heroes and heroines are rarely recognized as no one literarily armed themselves and fighting for Independency. They are all fighting in different ways, as a teacher, a police, a doctor, an environmental activist and many more, just to be part of the nation development.

But there are heroes and heroines whom often forgotten during this era, those are Indonesian Men and Women who are working overseas. The government claims that they are Indonesian Economic Heroes and Heroines, unfortunately not like heroes during colonialism, fame and fortune still far behind them. Public never knew that those Men and Women have been greatly support Indonesia’s Economy. Each year they contribute remittance almost 10 trillion Rupiah to Indonesia. That number is almost 10 percentage of National Budget or ten times direct foreign investment to Indonesia. From those numbers, we should be thank you to our workers overseas instead of the big conglomerates from overseas who only contribute less than one percent of National Budget.

But that contribution doesn’t return evenly to them. Public often neglect their existence and big role in economy. The though of working overseas mostly connotation as new way of modern slavery, that’s why public consider put them in second class society. There are many sad stories of exploitation, mistreatment, harassment and many things surround them, and those poor treatments happened 80% in Indonesia, by their fellow Indonesian.

There is big banner with beautiful slogan in Soekarno Hatta Airport in Jakarta, “Welcome Home TKI/TKW, Economic Heroes and Heroines”, but unfortunately the welcoming is not as beautiful as the slogan. It is already become public secret that most Indonesian Overseas Workers often being rip-off at Soekarno-Hatta Airport, from the potter, police, immigration officer, even from authorize money changer, who with loathsome, trick the workers with low exchange rate which the incident also happened towards HE Hamid Awaludin, Indonesian Ambassador for Rusia, who was assumed by the money changer staff as Indonesian Overseas workers or TKI. But the government seems helpless to prevent those things happening, and TKI, our economy heroes and heroine still continue to be the object of extortion and exploitation in their own country.

When can we start to appreciate them as the real heroes and heroines ???

…. The slogan “Welcome Home TKI/TKW, Economic Heroes and Heroines” just an allegoric on Heroes Day…

Gentur Priantono, acting head of Provincial Department of Manpower and Transmigration of East Java Province

Yesterday, 3rd November 2009, held at Agis Restaurant, Association of Indonesian Manpower Agencies (APJATI) East Java Province held meet-greet event with the acting head of provincial Department of Manpower and Transmigration (Disnakertrans), Ir. Gentur Prihantono, M.T. He recently replaces Indra Wiragana, the previous Head of Provincial Department of Manpower and Transmigration who suddenly being transferred to Office of Environment, after only 5 months in the office.

Mr. Gentur graduates from Civil Engineering and has two Master Degrees in Engineering and recently in Law, as he claimed. His tour of duty was deputy of Binamarga Departement (Responsible for Road Infrastructure) and the latest as Head of Archives and Library Office of East Java Province before Soekarwo appointed him as acting head of Disnakertrans.

From his educational background and his experience as a bureaucrat, there should be a big question whether he is the right man for the right position, as none of his formal education and work experience close enough with neither Manpower nor Transmigration.

Anyway, from his introduction speech towards directors of Indonesian Manpower Agencies in East Java, He seems a man with vision, firm and willing to listen for any suggestions and critics. He gave a convincing and remarkable speech about his big concern of the Association’s role whether it burdens TKI with unnecessary fees, something that never been raised by his predecessors.

He said that he will work hard for 100 days of his administration which similar with SBY programs, and once he has his inauguration, he would like to held hearing with all stakeholders on placement of manpower overseas, to catch up the recent issues.

Hopefully he can be a success bureaucrat.

End of the meeting, he walked down from podium and shake everybody hands from front until end of the rows, an excellent gesture as public servant to serve the public not being served by the public

Congratulation to Ir. Gentur Prihantono, MT, MH