Pay hike for Indonesian workers will be raised at next meeting - Indonesian minister

The issue of increase in salaries for Indonesians working in Malaysia will be among the matters raised at the next round of talks on manpower supply from Indonesia, said Indonesian Manpower and Transmigration Minister Muhammad Hanif Dhakiri.

He said the talks in Kuala Lumpur in October will also focus on finding solutions for emplacement of workers from Indonesia in Malaysia through the legal channels.

"We want to send workers through legal channels and Malaysia also wants it likewise," he told reporters after a meeting with visiting Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi here today.

Muhammad Hanif said the process (sending over of Indonesian workers through legal channels) required good coordination between the governments of the two countries.

In the meeting with Ahmad Zahid, he also raised several issues concerning Indonesian workers in Malaysia like that the passports should be held by the workers themselves, they should be given one day off each week and easier methods regarding the payment of salaries.

"We also talked about certain outstanding problems. Also some minor issues raised by Indonesian workers there like health checks, visas and security. The outcome of today's meeting will be followed up at the October talks," he said.

He said Malaysia-Indonesia talks regarding the Indonesian labour force in Malaysia were going well, starting with the meeting of Indonesian president Joko Widodo and Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak in February, followed by the Joint Working Group in May.

"There have already been discussions to register Indonesian workers through just one channel. What is important is to facilitate entry of Indonesian workers via lawful channels and not make things more complicated," he said.

Muhammad Hanif added that Indonesia also hoped the cost of sending over workers to Malaysia would be fully borne by the employers so that the workers concerned would not be burdened as they could ill-afford the costs.

Ahmad Zahid in his press conference after the meeting had said Malaysia's single window system to register foreign workers online next month will be able to tackle the issue of human trafficking and victimisation of foreign workers.

"It will also be implemented for Indonesian workers following the signing of an official agreement after next month's (the October) meeting.

"This is to prevent misappropriation, or excessive payment or recruiting of workers without employers...so that there is a coordination of workers, no longer without employers resulting in them becoming illegal foreign workers.