Indonesia to Exercise Moratorium of Migrant Worker Placement to Unsooperative Countries

President of RI Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono stated on Wednesday that the government was planning to exercise moratorium of overseas Indonesian workers abroad to countries who refused to give protection an humane treatment to the workers.

An integrated team was in charge to make overall evaluations on the condition of countries where Indonesian migrant workers are employed. “I have ordered an integrated team to evaluate where our workers are employed and they would make their recommendation to me if necessary, we will exercise moratorium on certain countries who refused to give protection, humane treatment and human assistance “ this was disclosed by president SBY ion his introductory speech at the inauguration of the Consultative Meeting Tripartit at the presidential palace. But as consequences of the above, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said that the government must provide sufficient employment at home. The president expected that with the masterplan of economic Development for the next 15 years, more job opportunities would be created in Indonesia ; thereby to gradually minimize sending of workers for the household sector which is soon to be totally stopped. In the future the government would focus more on sending skilled workers and professional. “About sending workers for the household sector, we must be determined to reduce them gradually and totally stop sending them in time to come.” According the president, sign of lowered  number of employment had been visible in the past few years.

Data of the Statistic Bureau (BPS) of august 2010 had it that Indonesian workforce was posted at 116.5 million workers of 240 million Indonesia population, of which the employed number was 108.2 million. This number of employed labor had increased by 3.3 million workers against previous year. The president stated that the increase was notable in industry and construction sectors. In the industrial sector data showed there had been increase of 772.000 workers or an increase of 5.91% against 2009 while in the construction sector there was an increase of 748.000 people or up by 15.4% against 2009.