Local Government Urged To Establish Enterprises For TKI Placement

Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, Nov 27 (Antara) - The Agency for the Placement and Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers (BNP2TKI) wants the local government to establish local enterprises to provide vocational training to Indonesian migrant workers (TKI) before placing them abroad. This statement was made by the agency`s Service Director, M. Syafri, here on Thursday. The plan aims to simplify the recruitment process and procedure of migrant workers handled by illegal migrant worker agencies that do not honor the legal procedure and to protect the workforce from fraudulence and exploitation. The local government is not in a position to completely takeover the migrant workers` placement process due to a provision in the law, which is currently in effect. The local enterprises should be established to facilitate communication with the government for ensuring legality, Syafri noted. "It is possible if the local government establishes an agency that caters to the placement of migrant workers to handle the problems faced by the workforce at the province level," he remarked. The migrant workers` placement structure that involves local enterprises will ensure safety and comfort to the migrant workers, who will be placed overseas. Moreover, the vocational training centers to be established in all districts will help the government to evenly improve the skill level of migrant workers. Syafri proposed that the local government should take the initiative to establish the training center and implement a more systematic placement procedure for migrant workers. "There will be a better placement procedure for migrant workers if the government could initiate the action," he reiterated. The local government can prepare prospective migrant workers through training centers that educate the workforce with the necessary curriculum for working abroad. In this way, the migrant workers will be protected from brokers and will not have to undergo irresponsible placement processes, Syafri emphasized. He also admitted that it is very difficult to catch the perpetrators involved in the placement of illegal migrant workers. "Their networking extends abroad. Therefore, it needs the cooperation of all agents to manage the problems, especially in the several districts in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Province, which became the hub for the recruitment of illegal migrant workers," Syafri noted. All data and facts about abused migrant workers from NTT should be reconsidered by all agents, so that the problems faced by the workforce can be minimized and even solved in Flobamora. "Migrant workers need to have the necessary skills to work, so that there is no more exploitation and mistreatment from the employer," he added.