Three local chapters of the Asian Law Students Association (ALSA) in East Java (UNAIR, UB, and UNEJ) held the ALSA East Java Summit on Saturday (12/11/2022). The topic raised in the webinar is related to migrant workers, with the title “Migrants Migraines: The Dizzying Puzzle to Solve Rights for Migrants.” In the webinar, there is a session where each local chapter presents the results of their research related to the issue of migrant workers. The presentation was then responded to by speakers from elements of labor unions, legal aid institutions, the East Java DPRD, and the Indonesian Migrant Worker Protection Agency (BP2MI).
The research title presented by UNAIR was “BP2MI Effectiveness in Fulfilling the Rights of Migrant Workers in East Java.” Using the socio-legal method, this research seeks to measure how effective BP2MI is in carrying out integrated services and protection for migrant workers. Gusti Adit, one of the researchers, said that BP2MI had tried to carry out its duties and functions as stated in Presidential Decree 90/2019.
“Two cases that can be used as examples are Rida Winarsih, a migrant worker in Malaysia who had a stroke. In that case, BP2MI Medan facilitated his return to Lumajang. Another example is Sulaiman from Jombang, who wants to return home after working eight years in Malaysia. Sulaiman could not afford to go home because of financial problems; in the end, he could only buy a ticket to Medan. Then, BP2MI was present to pay for it the house. These two examples are a form of implementing BP2MI’s role in facilitating, rehabilitating, and reintegrating migrant workers who have completed their term of service,” said Gusti.
But Chesya Angeline, one of the researchers, said there were conflicts in implementing BP2MI’s duties and responsibilities. This is because BP2MI proposes government to government (G2G) as the main scheme for distributing migrants. The model for distributing migrants is G2G and other models such as government to private, private to government, and private to private (P2P).
“There needs to be more supervision of the P2P migrant distribution model because often this model is profit-oriented, not protection. Moreover, BP2MI must be more proactive in preventing the distribution of non-procedural PMI, as well as increasing education regarding correct distribution procedures and in accordance with human rights,” Chesya.
