Thousands of Indonesian Overstayers Facing Becoming Vagrants in Saudi Arabia

A number of Indonesian workers had complained that their employers plan to dismiss them before Nov. 3, 2013, said Ninik via telephone on Monday.

"Thousands of Indonesian housemaids may lose their jobs and become homeless. Until Monday the number of homeless over stayers are not yet up to a thousand as there are still two weeks to go before the deadline," she said.

A number of Indonesian workers overstaying in Saudi Arabia could become homeless drifters as their employers would not risk being fined and punished by the Saudi government for employing illegal workers, she said.

"Many Saudi employers have terminated contracts with their Indonesian workers overstaying their visa for fear of being punished by the Saudi government," she said.

Since the launch of amnesty program by the Saudi government many Indonesian workers fell ill as they are physically not strong enough to go through the difficult process, she said.
Some over stayers are already arrested by the Saudi authorities and serving jail term, she said.

Syech Razie Ali Maula Dawilah, an adviser to Saudi Amnesty Supervision Team, said there were factors to speed up the process of amnesty .

They include the Indonesian Consulate General presenting the passports available at the Indonesian embassy, opening task force to process the amnesty outside Jeddah and Riyadh, assigning an embassy staff to help the over stayers in various places such as immigration offices and airports for the workers to get print out , data transfer and exit permit, Syech Razie Ali Maula Dawilah said. .

He said the Indonesian embassy should have special link with the Immigration Directorate General to get passport data for the workers.

In addition, the process of providing passports for mothers and small children , pregnant women, sick workers and old workers should be given priority, he added.

Pewarta : Kliwon
Editor: D.Dj. Kliwantoro
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