Minister to Create Grand Design to Solve Migrant Worker Problems

  Jakarta (Antara Bali) - Coordinating Human Development and Culture Minister Puan Maharani has considered a grand design to solve  national citizen overstay (WNIO) and troublesome Indonesian migrant worker (TKIB) problems.

         "I think a grand design should be immediately made, the concept could be completed early this year," the minister said here on Thursday.

         According to her, the grand design will facilitate the involved ministries and agencies in monitoring the problems.

         Moreover, she said that the government has continued to record the number of the cases and is also preparing for budgeting.

         The idea is related to the increasing number of Indonesians overstaying their visas abroad and problematic workers. For example, problematic Indonesians and overstayers in Malaysia number 1,250,000 people. In Saudi Arabia, there are 588,075 people and in other countries 32,073 people.

         During 2014, the government has repatriated as many as 20,379 WNIO from Saudi Arabia and 26 428 others from Malaysia.

         In addition to repatriation efforts, the government will also focus on empowering WNIO and TKIB on a medium-term and long-term basis, such as overcoming the root problems that cause the number of WNIO and TKIB to increase.

         The lack of employment in the country, low quality of labor and the protection of workers from the legal aspect are the root of the problems. (WDY)