TKI: The Forgotten Hero

Was often heard in our ears that TKI is a hero, yes a hero, 'foreign exchange heroes' they said. But is it true?. let's explore.
First of all let us find out what it is TKI.

TKI is Indonesian Workers (abbreviated to TKI) is the name given to Indonesian citizens who work abroad (such as Malaysia, Uni Emirates Arab, Taiwan, Australia and the United States) in working relationship for a certain period with pay. However, TKI often connoted with term collar workers. Female TKI are often called Women workers (TKW).

So what the relation betwen TKI who just a regular labor with a hero??

According to Research:
As we knows hero is someone who must willing to sacrifice all her body soul and all their possessions for something that defended. exactly what and whom and also to whom they defend??
Families who are expecting a bite of rice in homeand or homeland itself that makes them must be willing and must be want to sacrifice his body for the soul beaten, pressed, cut lips, raped, doused hot water, not paid his salary and even taken their lives. That was very sad to heard all, TKI who was hailed in the homeland as a hero but in reality must have suffered physically and spiritually on aboard. Is enough not to send the TKI again, let they try to live quiet and well off in their own country that they said very rich and fertile. we certainly not want any more Nirmala Bonat who followed with a body full of wounds and drenched with water because the hot iron by her employer while in Malaysia there. Or Sumiati who lay powerless because his lips cut and beaten until his back was paralyzed by her employer when in Saudi there. Not only that, they must paid illegal charge that make them salary

reduced. Almost all Indonesian TKI or migrant workers have illegal salary charges. These charges listed as placement fee, and "service charges" which is claimed by PJTKI of the TKI it sends. The charge varies, ranging from three months to seven, even up to nine months salary. More than a few TKI who were forced to give all his salary and had to work without salary for months. This practice raise the impression that TKI are the most current forms of slavery in Indonesia.

What about the government??

There have been many cases of TKI that occurred outside the country. Starting from the torture, rape, until murder. From Nimala Bonat, Siti Hajar, Ceriyati until Sumiati. The public at home seems had get bored with the violence on TKI which again occur and must be repeated. The government only responds at the beginning and then pretend to forget and the case disappeared or justice process that eventually freed the employers who have tortured the TKI. Look this article:

'Lembaga advokasi buruh Migrant Care menilai kepedulian pemerintah soal perlindungan terhadap tenaga kerja Indonesia di Malaysia, kurang.

Kedutaan Besar Republik Indonesia di Kuala Lumpur, berdasarkan data Migrant Care, kerap mendapat pengaduan dari pekerja Indonesia atau pihak keluarga pekerja tentang kasus kekerasan di Malaysia.

"Tidak sampai 40 persen yang pengaduannya diproses dan menghasilkan vonis yang adil untuk TKI," kata Anis dalam konferensi pers di Warung Daun, Jakarta, Jumat (7/1).

Bahkan, kata Analis Kebijakan Migrant Care Wahyu Susilo, banyak pengaduan kekerasan TKI yang tidak diproses sampai pengadilan. "Bahkan beberapa kasus ada yang diselesaikan oleh KBRI melalui mediasi dan uang damai atau santunan," ujar Wahyu.

Dia mencontohkan kasus penyiksaan TKI Sunarsih --yang disiksa sampai meninggal di Malaysia. Dalam perkara itu, majikan Sunarsih yang melakukan penyiksaan dibebaskan pengadilan Malaysia pada Juli 2010. "Saat ini majikannya itu lari keluar negeri," ujarnya.

Anis menambahkan, banyak proses hukum yang lambat ditangani Kedutaan. Beberapa kasus pun dipeti-eskan hingga akhirnya dilupakan. "Kasus yang selesai melalui jalur hukum dan vonis adil bisa dihitung dengan jari," kata Anis.'(Sumber http://www.tempointeraktif.com/hg/hukum/2011/01/07/brk,20110107-304541,id.html)

Whats your opinion???

We just can pray and hope that the government has a courageous and assertiveness to solve this problem completely. And also We hope all that has happened become a growing up process for Indonesia in the act and take a position to overcome any issues involves their citizens residing abroad not only TKI.

What should be done by the government to solve TKI problems ??

1. Curb illegal TKI agents
2. Better coordination between BNP2TKI & Ministry of Employment and Transmigration
3. Governments should focus to reveal the solution and not just reveal a problem
4. Relevant parties should make a policy instrument to address the problem of migrant workers
5. Average equitable development for all employment opportunities in villages and in cities, this is at least reduce the desire of people in the village to seek work abroad as migrant workers