Workers to Evacuate from Saudi Arabia

Jakarta (Antara Bali) - The Government of Indonesia will soon have completed the repatriation of Indonesian workers who have overstayed their residency permits in Saudi Arabia, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said on his Twitter account on Friday.

"I instructed related ministers yesterday to seriously handle those with expired permits in Saudi Arabia and have them repatriated to Indonesia as soon as possible," the president wrote.

According to the president, he has assigned Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Agung Laksono, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Djoko Suyanto, and Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa to be responsible for the evacuation process.

"The three related ministers start to work on Friday to take all necessary steps to evacuate those without permits in Saudi Arabia to Indonesia," the president wrote.

Yudhoyono noted that he had repeatedly sent letters to the Saudi Government concerning the problems being faced by Indonesians who do not have residency permits work permits, though he said not all of the problems could be solved. (*/DWA)