Indonesia, Malaysia sign accord to protect migrant workers

By EDNA TARIGAN
Associated Press

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesia and Malaysia signed an agreement on the placement and protection of Indonesian migrant workers in Malaysia. The memorandum of understanding was signed Friday during Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s meeting with Indonesian President Joko Widodo in Jakarta. The memorandum outlines the One Channel System, which regulates the entire process of recruiting, placing and repatriating Indonesian migrant workers in Malaysia. Indonesia’s population of over 270 million has contributed to a surplus of workforces. Malaysia is one of the main destination countries for Indonesian migrant workers. In 2019, more than 79,000 Indonesian migrant workers recorded work assignments in Malaysia. The number decreased in 2020 and 2021.