A Helping Hand for Workers Overseas

Here I am arguing that Indonesia should cooperate with Philippines to improve the training on its migrant workers and more importantly, to create a common front to improve their bargaining positions on migrant rights.

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A Helping Hand for Workers Overseas
Yohanes Sulaiman | June 23, 2011

The execution of Indonesian maid Royati binti Sapubi in Saudi Arabia was a deplorable affair. But while there are many people demanding the Indonesian government impose a moratorium on sending workers to the kingdom, such a measure would be of little help in addressing the root causes of the mistreatment of our workers abroad.

Domestically, there are several factors that enable Indonesian workers abroad to be treated badly. Lack of education and training is the most important. The majority of Indonesian workers abroad have only an elementary school education. This lack of knowledge is evident in Singapore’s Foreign Domestic Worker Entry Test, which measures basic aptitude in both English and housework. Reportedly, only 60 percent of Indonesian maids pass, compared with 90 percent of Filipinos.

The problems of poor language and work skills are not limited to Singapore. The Saudi Gazette has reported that many Indonesian maids falsify their age and health certificates, struggle with basic housework and speak no Arabic. In short, there is a serious problem with the quality of Indonesian domestic workers.

Lacking even rudimentary knowledge of language, it is difficult for the maid, a complete stranger in a foreign land, to communicate with others, let alone to navigate a complex legal system. As a result, once a maid is in Saudi Arabia, she is at mercy of her employer and the agency that sent her abroad.

Unscrupulous employers and employment agencies sometimes then exploit the uneducated worker. They may refrain from telling the maid about the labor laws that regulate her rights, such as her working hours and salary, or worse, deny her information about assistance available in times of trouble.

Combined with the Saudi legal system, which provides very little protection to foreign workers, the deck is stacked against an Indonesian maid should she face trouble.

There are also cases of employment agencies manipulating the identity of workers and the corresponding health certificates. While this ensures a profit and quick employment for the worker, it causes a major headache for the Indonesian government, as it becomes very difficult to keep track of citizens abroad. This may prevent a worker getting the timely legal help they may desperately need.

Indonesia still has difficulty persuading Saudi Arabia to improve the treatment of foreign workers. While the country has laws protecting workers in Saudi Arabia, laws protecting domestic workers have not yet been ratified.

The main obstacle in ratification is the fact that labor inspectors do not have the right to enter homes due privacy concerns. Saudis are very zealous in maintaining the privacy of their homes.

While in May Saudi Arabia and Indonesia flagged a memorandum of understanding, it was unclear how binding it would be, how much protection would be guaranteed and even whether it would be finalized within the proposed six-month time frame.

Maj. Gen. Abdullah Al-Sadoun, a member of the Shura Council, the formal advisory body to Saudi rulers, even argued that the proposal was tantamount to “delving into matters of security for the country and its citizens.” He speculated that it was Indonesia’s way to gather “sensitive national information on citizens’ personal lives.”

With the MoU uncertain, Indonesia should take action in securing the protection of its workers. One of the best ways to do so is by working together with the Philippines.

It is estimated that there are 4.3 million Filipinos working abroad (4.5 percent of the total population), in jobs ranging from domestic workers to professions such as doctors and engineers. Last year, remittances from Filipinos working abroad amounted to $21.3 billion, around 11.3 percent of GDP. In comparison, there are about 2.5 million Indonesians working abroad (1 percent of the total population) sending home at least $7.1 billion, or around 1 percent of GDP.

As both countries have significant numbers of their citizens working abroad, it would be in the best interest of both to create a common viewpoint on migrant worker protection.

Like Indonesian workers, Filipino workers overseas also experience abuse and its government has complained about the lack of legal protections for its workers in Saudi Arabia.

This year the Philippines played hardball in refusing to back down from its demand of monthly wage of $400, double the Saudi offer of $200. As a result, Saudis are now experiencing difficulties finding enough skilled replacements for Filipino maids.

Indonesia should take this opportunity to work together with the Philippines to ensure the protection of their workers abroad. As both countries are members of Asean and share a long and friendly history, such action could be used to deepen their relationship.

Indonesia should learn how the Philippines treats and trains its workers. At the same time, the Philippines can use Indonesia to help improve its bargaining position in regards to labor protection. This is a win-win proposition for both countries.

Indonesia must also improve its domestic safeguards to prevent abuses by employment agencies. One possibility is to have every prospective worker undertake mandatory training — to learn the language, basic household skills, and laws of the destination country — with a certificate awarded upon completion.

The training can be provided either by a state agency or state-approved private institutions. Of course, there should be constant monitoring. While this may be a hassle, it is a small price to pay to prevent another tragedy like the one involving Royati.