Selangor Journal
An Indonesian migrant worker, Ari Rohman, pushes a cart as he collects bunches of palm oil fresh fruit during harvest at a plantation in Banting, on June 10, 2022. — Picture by REUTERS

Malaysia, Indonesia discuss ways to improve labour cooperation

PUTRAJAYA, Jan 4 — Malaysia and Indonesia have held talks on ways to improve labour cooperation, especially in providing protection to Indonesian workers in Malaysia.

The matter was discussed by Human Resources Minister V. Sivakumar and Indonesian ambassador Hermono, who paid a courtesy call on Sivakumar at the Ministry of Human Resources (KSM), here, today.

KSM said the courtesy call was to discuss bilateral labour issues that are set to be the agenda at the highest level during the official visit of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to Jakarta on January 8 and 9.

“It is hoped that the Prime Minister’s official visit to the Republic of Indonesia in January will strengthen existing collaborations between both nations in various fields, especially the labour sector,” KSM said in a statement today.

Malaysia and Indonesia have forged labour ties through two memorandums of understanding (MoU), which involved the hiring of Indonesian workers for the formal sector and the domestic helpers’ sector.

The two countries inked the MoU for the formal sector on May 10, 2004, while that on the recruitment and protection of Indonesian domestic helpers was signed on April 1, 2022.

As of November 30, 2022, there are 376,256 Indonesian workers in Malaysia.

KSM said Malaysia and Indonesia had used the Working Committee Meeting platform to periodically discuss issues regarding Indonesian domestic helpers (PDI), with the next meeting expected to be held in Indonesia in February.

“Malaysia remains committed to implementing the One Channel System (OCS) as the sole platform for the entrance of Indonesian domestic helpers into this country so as to avoid their entrance through other channels which could lead to them becoming victims of labour exploitation,” the KSM said.

— Bernama

 

Top Picks

Police arrests French-Israeli man with six guns in Kuala Lumpur

Litrak’s toll rebate prog for Damansara-Puchong Expressway users ends April 1