Legal Indonesian workers stand to win model workers awards from their consulate-general office
Jahar cutting the ‘tumpeng’, an Indonesian delicacy, during his country’s Independence Day reception last night before serving a piece to the Head of State. Looking on are Ragad (left) and Jahar’s wife Loriana Gultom. — Photo Muhammad Rais Sanusi
KUCHING: The Indonesian consulate-general office here has come up with cash incentives for model Indonesian employees working in the state to encourage them to work in the state legally.
Indonesian Consul-General in Kuching Jahar Gultom said his office had set up a committee for the ‘Indonesians Workers of the Year’ Awards in three categories namely; in timber, oil palm (both upstream and downstream) and construction industry.
He disclosed that such cash incentives in Sarawak were the first of its kind in the country.
“Our main objective of setting up this initiative is to reduce the number of illegal workers working here in Sarawak and promote legal workers from Indonesia to be recruited by employers here,” Jahar told The Borneo Post in an exclusive interview at his office here yesterday.
He added that if the programme was successfully implemented here in Sarawak, it would be used in other states in the country.
Jahar pointed out that the high number of illegal workers in the state which he estimated to be at least 270,000 was due to the high demand for their services.
He believed only about 130,000 of these workers are employed legally.
He said most of the illegal workers came to Sarawak on social visas and stayed on with the help of friends to search for jobs through unscrupulous middlemen who would get at least RM1,000 per head for an Indonesia worker.
“As most of them came here illegally, we not hear anything from them. We will only hear news about them when something bad happened, such as death or being killed either while working or due to accidents,” he said, adding that on average there were at least 200 deaths per year among these illegal workers in Sarawak.
He said in 2013, there were at least 230 reported deaths, while last year there were 197 reported deaths. For this year until middle of August, at least 150 deaths have been reported.
“Due to the high death rate among illegal workers, your Chief Minister now realised that the issue of illegal workers in the state is very complex. So we are very happy that he gave us the green light to start this initiative as we are also trying to assist Sarawak in addressing this issue,” Jahar explained.
Andre Suharto who has been tasked to head the ‘Indonesian Workers of the Year’ Awards committee said he was helping the consulate to assist his countrymen to get the proper documents to benefit them, their employers and the state.
“We will also get some prominent Sarawakians to become board members so that it doesn’t look like a purely Indonesian affair,” he said.
He said for the three categories such as timber, palm oil (up and downstream) and construction, each winner will get a cash incentive of RM15,000; the first runners-up will get RM12,000 and second runners-up RM10,000. On top of that the overall winner from all three categories will get an additional RM15,000.
“The whole idea is to encourage illegal workers to register as legal workers as only legal workers are eligible for the incentives. On top of that, they must be working here for at least two years and their names will be shortlisted by their employers.
“The committee will the interview those who have been shortlisted,” he said.
Andre added that winners will have to deposit their winnings into a local bank and would not be allowed to withdraw it for at least two years but could take the interests from their accounts.
“This will prevent them from taking the money home and will not return back to Sarawak. The idea is to promote model workers so that others will emulate and contribute to the local community where they are working and living,” he explained.
He said besides giving the cash incentives to model employees, his committee also planned to organise motivational training for them.
Meanwhile, Jahar said he welcomed the proposal of Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to fence the porous border between Sarawak and Kalimantan and provide better security along the border.
“I agree with his proposal so that it’s easier for us to monitor and regulate the flow of people coming into and going out of Sarawak,” he said.
Recently, Ahmad Zahid told The Borneo Post that the Federal Government would give border security along Kalimantan border its utmost attention with the promise of top-notch technology and manpower to safeguard the sovereignty of the country.
Last night, Jahar hosted a reception in conjunction with his country’s 70th Independence Day which falls on Aug 17 at a leading hotel here last night.
The Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud and Toh Puan Ragad Kurdi graced the occasion.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu, Infrastructure Development and Communication Minister Dato Sri Micheal Manyin and other state dignitaries were also present.
The evening’s programme included a toast led by the head of state and Jahar for the Malaysian King and the Indonesian president.