MoSA Provides Assistance, Protection and Empowerment for PMIB

Writer :

Humas Ditjen Rehabilitasi Sosial

Editor :

David Myoga

Translator :

Karlina Irsalyana

JAKARTA (August 4, 2022) – The Ministry of Social Affairs through the Directorate of Social Rehabilitation for Disaster and Emergency Victims (KBK) and Mulya Jaya Center Jakarta provided assistance, protection, and empowerment for Indonesian Migrant Workers with Problems (PMIB) from Malaysia.

PMIB repatriation from Malaysia on August 4, 2022, they would be flown directly from Kuala Lumpur Airport Malaysia to Soekarno Hatta Airport Tangerang. Furthermore, they would be sent to a quarantine guesthouse or referral hospital and ensured that seriously ill Indonesian citizens/PMIB could be evacuated immediately by going to a referral hospital to get special treatment and administering vaccines for PMIB who have not received the vaccine.

Ketut Supena, Acting Director of Disaster and Emergency Victims (KBK) said that MoSA together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture, the Ministry of Economy, the Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection Agency (BP2MI), and several of the task force (task units) would receive Indonesian Migrant Workers with Problems (PMIB) in Malaysia as many as 192 people.

Following the direction of MoSA, Tri Rismaharini, who was committed to troubled migrant workers, especially vulnerable groups, must be ensured that when they arrived in Indonesia, they received assistance, protection, and empowerment services until they returned to their respective homes.

“Arriving in Indonesia 192 PMIB will be taken to Wisma Atlit, then an assessment will be carried out, together with a team from MoSA to explore their potential of them, so that problem-solving interventions will be given to reduce their interest to return abroad to earn a living,” said Ketut.

"The hope is for PMIB to no longer look for work abroad because they will face enormous challenges, and MoSA will provide a solution by empowering them. This has been proven that many efforts have been given by MoSA so that they will get income for the PMIB," he added.

Yudi Ardian, Head of the Southeast Asia Region Sub-Directorate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs facilitated the arrival of 192 Indonesian deportees from Malaysia. "They are Indonesian migrant workers who have problems in Malaysia so they are deported but have queues at Malaysian immigration, therefore we are accelerating their repatriation, especially for those who fall into vulnerable groups," said Yudi.

This repatriation cannot be carried out by the respective Ministries or Institutions, but there must be collaboration. Starting from the handlers from the start abroad, transportation by plane at Soeta Airport. Then from their arrival at Soeta Airport until they were delivered to their respective hometowns. So, there is a comprehensive process that made it a real step from the presence of the state in protecting Indonesian citizens abroad.

Yudi also revealed that the main reason they were deported was that they violated the law in Malaysia. So, someone violated the residence permit or entered Malaysia without a permit. Some commit criminal acts, then took legal proceedings in Malaysia, were in prison after their imprisonment was completed, and were transferred to immigration detention for expulsion or deportation.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs hoped that the number of PMIB living without documents or being illegally abroad will decrease. Because of that, security, violence, and exploitation are risks that we could not protect. "So, we urge all Indonesians who want to travel abroad, then choose the official immigration corridor. God willing, legally, we can minimize these risks," said Yudi.

The Head of the Indonesian Migrant Worker Protection Agency (BP2MI), Benny Rhamdani, said that MoSA had initiated services for PMIB who were deported from abroad, or whose results were prevented before they departed which would then be given a program by MoSA about economic empowerment for families.

"Hopefully the immigrant program, in principle, will encourage placement in the formal sector, then suppress the informal sector, in addition to actively promoting information on safe immigration. But on the other hand, the practice of illegal placement continues. So, this was a business controlled by the mafia against those who were illegal deportants, we directed them to no longer even think about going abroad, "said Benny.

Syamsuriah (43) is a PMIB who had a 6-month-old toddler who sometimes got stale food for her baby, and was only given boiled fish every day and could not get out of the shelter, and she was very sad because her husband had not been able to return to Indonesia with her because he is still in prison.

"Hopefully I can meet soon, "Please ma'am," she said sadly, and she hoped that other persons would not experience something like this, they don't have to work in Malaysia, it's better to work in our country,” Syamsuriah hoped.

2022-08-04
Visits : 2076