Manpower Minister Fires Back in Turf War With Migrant Worker Commission

Jakarta Globe, February 2, 2009

Anita Rachman

Manpower and Transmigration Minister Erman Suparno on Monday insisted that the placement of migrant workers overseas was under their authority, countering concerns from a commission that had been tasked with the same job.

The power struggle began after the minister amended a decree that established the National Commission for the Placement and Protection of Indonesia Migrant Workers, or BNP2TKI, to effectively take over the management of migrant worker placement from the body. The amendment was issued in December and came into effect on Feb. 1.

"The decree is required by the law," the minister said in a hearing with members of House Commission IX, which oversees manpower and transmigration affairs.

He said that a provision of the decree indicated that the BNP2TKI could still manage government-to-government and government-to-private arrangements. The first type of collaboration occurs between two governments who work together to place migrants in jobs in the host country. Indonesia has yet to establish any of the latter kind of collaboration, in which the worker's government places an employee directly with private parties abroad.

Erman also said that another article of the decree clearly stated that the BNP2TKI , which was appointed directly by the president, should work with the minister of manpower and transmigration.

On Thursday, the BNP2TKI, meeting with members of House Commission IX, criticized the decree amendment that dwindled its authority in placing migrant workers abroad.

According to the BNP2TKI, Indonesia has so far only established placement collaborations with the Korean and Japanese governments.

This meant that just a little more than 30,000 migrant workers, or less than 1 percent of an estimated total of 4.3 million migrant workers, would be under BNP2TKI authority.

But Erman said that, with his approval, the BNP2TKI could increase the number of government and private collaborations for migrant worker placement.

He said that the ministry would handle placements with the help of its offices in local governments, which would be able to assist migrant workers more efficiently.

Ribka Tjiptaning, the chairperson of House Commission IX, said that she would defer to the president regarding decisions about the scope of the two parties' authorities.

"We do not have the authority to decide on the course of this matter," she said.

Members of the House commission said they expected both sides to ensure that the interests of migrant workers were their highest priority.