Teladan Pekerja

WORKING ABROAD

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        Over one and a half million Indonesians are registered as working abroad. Most of these people work as domestic servants in Malaysia, Singapore or the middle east. These are people who have limited opportunities to earn a good salary at home. For them, going to work abroad is their only chance to earn good money. But is it really a good thing, both for the people themselves as well as for Indonesia ?

        These migrant workers often send large sums of money back to their families in Indonesia. The families then spend this money in Indonesian shops and Indonesian businesses get money they wouldn’t otherwise receive. This can make a considerable contribution to the Indonesian economy as a whole.

        The money that is sent back to families in Indonesia is also used to pay for the education of children in the families. This can only have a good effect on the future lives of these children. Money earned in other countries being used to provide a better future for Indonesian children.

        But what about the lives of the migrant workers themselves ? they often have to stay away from their families in Indonesia for a least a year at a time. How terrible it must be for parents who have to leave their children for such a long time. And what about the children ? they must surely miss their mother or father who has gone to work abroad.

        In addition, some people say that many migrant workers are abused while they are working overseas. A number of them even die. It is difficult for migrant workers to get support while they are living in a foreign country, so far away from their families. No one can make sure that they are safe and looked after.

        For many Indonesians, working abroad is a necessity. It will continue to be this way until the Indonesian economy can afford to pay workers a good living salary. There are good and bad things about Indonesians working in other countries. What is certain is that Indonesian people who work abroad need to have support structures in place. They need support structures in the countries where they are working, to ensure that they are safe. They also need to have support structures at home, to ensure that their families are taken care of while they are away.

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