Indonesian Ambassador to Malaysia Hermono said the Immigration Department's latest announcement for foreign entries using the MyTravelPass has justified concerns surrounding a lack of consistency on policies to protect migrant workers.
Speaking to Malaysiakini, Hermono (who uses one name) said the Immigration Department - under the purview of the Home Ministry - continues to accept applications from new Indonesian domestic workers, despite the Human Resources Ministry's agreement through ongoing bilateral negotiations, to enforce a One Channel System (OCS) of entry.
"We (Indonesia) have discussed a flow chart of the OCS with the Human Resources Ministry, although it is not finished yet, suddenly the Immigration Department issued this new policy for entries using MyTravelPass.
"This announcement is inconsistent with an agreement under the draft memorandum of understanding (MOU) for entries from Indonesia to only be through the OCS.
"So we still have concerns (on whether) the MOU will be fully respected and implemented once it's signed," said Hermono (above).
The Immigration Department's latest announcement followed Malaysia's decision to reopen international borders by March 1, as well as permission for employers to hire new migrant workers in all sectors including domestic work.
The MyTravelPass facility was extended to domestic workers with existing valid Temporary Employment Visit Pass (PLKS) to re-enter Malaysia and resume employment in June 2020 after the first movement control order was lifted.
Malaysiakini previously reported on how the document was abused to facilitate entry of new Indonesian domestic workers, in breach of both Malaysia's immigration laws and Indonesia's freeze on new recruitments.
'Indonesia's Home Affairs Ministry not involved'
Hermono said the Indonesian home affairs minister is not involved in the MOU negotiations, as manpower, immigration and other related issues do not fall under the minister's portfolio.
"The home minister of Indonesia has nothing to do with the MOU.
"The one in charge of immigration is our law and human rights minister," he added.
Home Minister Hamzah Zainudin had, in response to Hermono's initial criticisms, reportedly implied that the ambassador was not aware of progress surrounding the MOU negotiations.
Online portal Free Malaysia Today quoted Hamzah as saying he had discussed matters surrounding the MOU with his counterpart from Indonesia during a working visit to Jakarta last month, and that he was not obliged to update Hermono on any matters.
"I want to inform (him) that the ones discussing this are his minister and me.
"If he (Hermono) doesn’t know, he should ask his minister," Hamzah was quoted as saying in response to Hermono's criticisms that trust remains low towards the Immigration Department's commitment to ensure rights of workers are safeguarded.
Hermono said it is unclear who Hamzah had referred to as his counterpart, but there was no meeting held with the minister in charge of Indonesia's immigration during the Jakarta working visit.
Commenting further, the ambassador said the Indonesian team represented in seven technical working group meetings held between Oct 18 last year and Jan 19 comprised representatives from its Foreign Affairs Ministry, Manpower Ministry and the National Agency for the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers.
He said the Immigration Department and Health Ministry were also involved in initial preparations for the negotiation.
"I personally follow and monitor all online and offline negotiations," he added.
Hermono reiterated that Immigration Department officials were represented in only two of the seven meetings dated last Dec 20 and Dec 30.
On Jan 24, Human Resources Minister M Saravanan announced, after meeting his counterpart from Indonesia Ida Fauziyah, that the MOU would be signed in Bali on Feb 7 and 8, to be followed by the launch of a pilot project involving 10,000 domestic workers.
It was later revealed Saravanan made a unilateral announcement and no new signing date has so far been set, pending the conclusion of bilateral negotiations. - Mkini
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