MANPOWER SUPPLIERS HAIL RI-JORDAN MOU ON WORKER PROTECTION

Jakarta, June 28 (ANTARA) - Manpower supplier companies hailed the Memorandum of Understanding on the protection of Indonesian migrant workers (TKIs) signed by Indonesia and Jordan in Bali on Saturday night.

Deputy chairman of the Association of Manpower Supplier Companies (Apjati), Rusdi Basalamah said here on Sunday that the signing of the MoU is proof of the commitment of both countries to protect Indonesian workers working in the informal sector overseas.

"So far, both countries have to face many problems with regard to the protection of the rights of TKIs as well as those of their employers. The signing of the MoU is proof of the commitment of both countries to overcome the problem," Rusdi said.

In the meantime, chairman of the Labor Service Companies Association (Himsataki), Yunus M Yamani said after it was signed the MoU needs to be implemented. "It would be useless if the MoU is signed but it is not implemented," he said.

Rusdi said that a similar MoU could also be concluded by Indonesia with other countries, particularly Kuwait which is facing similar problems.

"I am waiting for the realization of the manpower minister's statement on the suspension of sending of workers to Kuwait if that country failed to protect Indonesian workers," he said.

On Saturday, Manpower Minister Erman Suparno and his Jordanian counterpart Gazi Hamdallah Shbaikat signed a MoU on the placement and protection of Indonesian domestic helpers.

In a press release made available to ANTARA on Sunday, Suparno said Indonesia and Jordan had cooperated in the field of worker placement since 2001, which was based on a MoU on the placement of TKIs in Jordan.

The 2001 MoU covered the placement of Indonesian workers in general (both in formal and informal sectors) in Jordan. Meanwhile, the (2009) MoU signed on Saturday was focused on domestic workers (informal sector).***5***

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