Some 3,300 Indonesian job seekers sent back

SIBU: About 3,300 Indonesians who came to seek for work in Sarawak recently have been sent back because of incomplete documents.

According to Consul General of the Republic of Indonesia in Kuching, Raden Sigit Witjaksono, the documents include passport, work visa, permit and working contractual agreement.

“The permit takes three to six months to process, and we need to make this procedure faster because we are concerned that the workers who are coming to Sarawak, they also need to undergo medical checkup which is only valid for three months. If the process takes up to six months or beyond, then the medical checkup certificate will no longer be valid.

“We really encourage the authorities concerned to expedite the whole process as it takes too long and our side will also try our best to improve the process,” he told a press conference after officiating at a business forum between Association For Indonesia Manpower Agencies (APJATI) and Rimbunan Hijau Group of Companies (RH) held at a hotel here today (Sept 17).

Sigit (seated second right) with the participants at the business forum.

Sigit explained that smooth process of recruitment and placement needed collaboration among all parties concerned.

He said Sarawak was a popular destination for Indonesian workers mostly at plantation, manufecturing, construction, services and domestic sectors.

On our side, we try to improve the process. Our ultimate goal is for the workers to be happy and enhance productivity.

“We should learn from the pandemic times, the productivity dropped significantly by more than 50 per cent. The supply of workers need not have to take too long to process in order for them to come to Sarawak to work in plantation and other sectors.”