VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Indonesian migrant workers return home from Malaysia via the SBP Port Tanjungpinang, Riau Islands (May 11, 2021). ANTARA/Ogen - 

The Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection Agency (BP2MI) has projected that some 5.3 million out of the nine million Indonesian migrant workers are illegal and unregistered.

"The remaining 3.7 million are legal and registered workers," BP2MI Head Benny Rhamdani stated when contacted from Tanjungpinang, Riau Islands, on Friday.

Rhamdani remarked that the government will encounter difficulties in monitoring the condition of illegal migrant workers abroad since they are not registered and their work locations are also often unknown.

"Legal workers are protected by the government. It is difficult to keep tabs on illegal workers, barring the time when they submit report for their problems," Rhamdani explained.

Illegal migrant workers reel from problems, such as physical and sexual abuse, unpaid salaries, and the absence of a working contract.

The BP2MI head remarked that various forms of training will be imparted to legal workers to hone their skillsets and strengthen their language capability to communicate with their employers.

Legal workers are also registered in the Workers Insurance and Social Security (BPJS Ketenagakerjaan) by paying a monthly premium of Rp13 thousand.

"Hence, be prepared if you want to work abroad. The government has ensured the safety and security of legal migrant workers," he emphasized.

Rhamdani noted that Malaysia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the Middle East absorbed most of the Indonesian migrant workers.

The BP2MI head urged all stakeholders to synergize to boost the capacity and capability of migrant workers before their placement in destination countries.

The agency has also committed to cracking down on the syndicate of illegal migrant workers placement//ANT