JAKARTA, RAKYAT NEWS – Indonesia has called on Saudi Arabia to provide guarantees on fair wages and enhanced protection for its migrant workers before resuming the deployment of Indonesian workers to the Kingdom.

Minister of Migrant Worker Protection Abdul Kadir Karding stressed the importance of these assurances during a public dialogue held at the Ministry of Migrant Worker Protection’s office in Jakarta on December 17, 2024. This request follows a long-standing moratorium on sending Indonesian workers to Saudi Arabia, which has been in place since 2015.

Minister Karding highlighted two major concerns: wages and worker protection. Saudi Arabia has traditionally requested lower wages for Indonesian migrant workers compared to those from other countries. For instance, the Kingdom has been requesting a wage as low as $300 (approximately 5 million IDR) since 2015. Indonesia insists that fairer wage conditions must be in place before any recruitment can be resumed.

Another critical issue raised by Minister Karding is the protection of Indonesian workers in Saudi Arabia. He emphasized that protections should not only cover health care but also extend to the period after employment, particularly in the event of dismissal or mistreatment. The Indonesian government wants to ensure that workers are well-protected throughout their employment and beyond.

The Minister also proposed that Indonesian workers be employed through labor supply companies rather than directly under individual employers. This, he argued, would create a clearer and more accountable system, allowing the Indonesian government to hold companies responsible for the well-being of their workers. By involving third-party agencies, the government believes it would be able to better monitor and address any issues that arise during the workers’ employment.