The following article was published by OANA on 8 May 2003.
MINISTER THREATENS TO STOP SENDING WORKERS TO S'PORE
8 May 2003
Organisation of Asia-Pacific News Agencies
Mataram, W. Nusa Tenggara, May 7 (ANTARA) - Indonesia may stop sending workers to Singapore if the city state's authorities cannot create better work safety conditions for them, Manpower and Transmigration Minister Jacob Nuwa Wea said here Wednesday.
Over the the past two years, a total of 86 Indonesian domestic helpers had died while working at their employers' homes. "They died after falling from high-rise apartment buildings," the minister said.
The Indonesian government had expressed concern about the incidents and asked Singapore to pay more attention to the migrant workers' work safety.
"This was agreed in a memorandum of understanding signed last year. But if we still hear about Indonesian workers dying because of accidents at work, we had better stop sending workers to Singapore," Jacob said.
His ministry, he said, had also called on manpower recruiting companies at home to be more selective in recruiting workers, and to improve their skills.
Manpower companies should stop sending illiterate workers abroad and require migant workers to have enjoyed at least secondary school education.
"Thereby, our workers will be in a better position to compete with those from other countries," Jacob said.
The minister, however, admitted that domestic helpers in Indonesia were less protected than their peers in other countries.
"Therefore, we are going to issue a regulation on employment of domestic helpers in the country," Jacob said.
