VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

VOINews, Jakarta - The Indonesian Migrant Workers' Protection Agency (BP2MI) has said that placements in the manufacturing and fisheries sectors are dominating a program for placing Indonesian migrant workers (PMI) in South Korea under a government-to-government (G-to-G) scheme.

"Based on the trend in the placement of our migrant workers from year to year, especially those managed by BP2MI through the G-to-G scheme, this shows an increasing trend," BP2MI principal secretary Rinardi informed in a statement released here on Tuesday.

The increase in PMI placements is in line with the government's efforts to be fully present in supporting their placement abroad, he said.

The number of PMI placements in the manufacturing sector in 2021 was recorded at 112, Rinardi said. The figure increased to 8,811 in 2022. As of September 19, 2023, the number has reached 6,238.

In the meantime, PMI placements in the fisheries sector were recorded at 61 in 2021. They jumped to 2,734 in 2022 and 2,705 in 2023.

Rinardi said that working abroad is covered by Article 27 Paragraph 2 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to decent work.

"Currently, the G-to-G scheme is in effect in three countries, including Japan, South Korea, and Germany. In the near future, the scheme will be opened to Saudi Arabia in the health sector," he informed.

Meanwhile, the head of BP2MI, Benny Ramdhani, appealed to the public to follow the official channels to work abroad.

"If you go abroad to work through official channels, there is a process, you have to take part in training, learn the customs and language of the destination country," he said.

However, if people go abroad to work through unofficial channels, they may face problems.

"Don't be persuaded and promised a high salary or other lures. All of this is a method of fraud," he cautioned.

"If you go abroad to work through official channels, people must have their health checked. But if there is no such procedure, there is a suspicion that it is illegal. So, (we must) prepare ourselves to welcome a better future," he added. (antaranews)