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.
