Reviewing The Placement Of PMIs To The Middle East, Minister Karding: Instead Of Leaking, We Will Salurkan At The Same Time

Minister of P2MI Abdul Kadir Karding at the East Jakarta BP3MI Office, Tuesday, February 4. (ANTARA/Katriana)

JAKARTA - Indonesian Migrant Worker Protection Minister (P2MI) Abdul Kadir Karding said he was reviewing the possibility of placing Indonesian Migrant Workers (PMI) back into countries in the Middle East.

The statement was made following his meeting with the Saudi Arabian Minister of Manpower a few days earlier.

"It is possible that we will explore it within this month," said Minister Karding at the East Jakarta Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection Service Center (BP3MI), Tuesday, February 4, which was confiscated by Antara.

During the meeting, Saudi Arabia convinced KP2MI to create a better system to provide better protection and income for PMIs.

Given that there are still many migrant workers who are interested in non-procedurally working to the Middle East, KP2MI is reconsidering the potential to reopen PMI's placement in the region.

"So, instead of leaking, it means like this (work non-procedurally), we all think we distribute it. But, there must be a guarantee, one protection in the form of insurance with good coverage, including income," said Minister Karding.

In addition to encouraging increased protection and income for PMI, Karding also encourages data integration with the Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises in Saudi to increase bilateral cooperation in terms of PMI placement to prevent various possibilities that could endanger migrant workers.

"So, the data is in Arab, Musanet is called. Musanet is the SOE and we seem to only want to cooperate with SOEs, don't want to cooperate with companies or people. Because if there is a state guarantee, our people can be easier to protect them," said Minister Karding.

"So, we will open if the promised items are appropriate," he continued.

Meanwhile, on the same occasion, Minister Karding also appealed to people who want to work abroad to continue to take procedural channels to avoid possible exploitation and become victims of criminal acts of trafficking in persons (TPPO).

"I remind all Indonesian people who want to work abroad to take procedural channels considering that apart from being vulnerable to being victims of TIP and exploitation, migrant workers also often bear material losses," he said.

The appeal was conveyed after he met with seven non-procedural PMI candidates who had failed his departure at the BP3MI Office in East Jakarta.