Gov’t Provides VVIP Facilities at Airport for Migrant Workers

Fast lanes at immigration checkpoint for Indonesian Migrant Workers, at Soekarno Hatta Airport

The Agency for the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers (BP2MI) on Friday (18/12), coinciding with International Migrants Day, inaugurated VVIP facilities for Indonesian Migrant Workers at Terminal 3, Soekarno Hatta International Airport.

“Today, on International Migrants Day, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo gave the best present for Indonesian Migrant Workers namely the VVIP facilities,” Head of the BP2MI Benny Rhamdani said.

The facilities are also a result of synergy between the Government and State-owned Enterprises, namely the BP2MI, Ministry of Law and Human Rights, Ministry of State-owned Enterprises, Directorate General of Immigration, and state-owned airport operator PT Angkasa Pura II.

Benny expressed hope that the synergy can be continued to ensure the safety, empowerment, and prosperity of the migrant workers and their families.

There are four facilities at the airport, he said, adding that similar facilities will also be built at other airports which are the embarkment point of the migrant workers.

The facilities cover, among others, fast track at immigration checkpoint, lounge, helpdesk which provides information, advocacy, data collection, and repatriation for troubled workers, and booth to market products made by former migrant workers.

“The VVIP-class facilities are provided as a token of respect and appreciation to those working abroad for the sake of their families,” Benny said.

He added that normally, fast track and lounge only serves business class passengers, official diplomats, and airline crews, making the newly-inaugurated facilities as the first ever VVIP facilities for migrant workers in Indonesia.

In the meantime, Minister of State-owned Enterprises Erick Thorir symbolically signed inscription of the lounge. He said that our task will be easier if we join hands and work sincerely.

Minister of Manpower Ida Fauziyah who also joined the inauguration virtually conveyed her appreciation to the BP2MI for their hard work in protecting Indonesian Migrant Workers and families. The facilities, she added, are also a part of protection for the workers who have contributed largely to Indonesia’s foreign exchange incomes.

On that occasion, a number of agreements in the protection of prospective Indonesian Migrant Workers/ Indonesian Migrant Workers were signed, including; Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between BP2MI and Ministry of Law and Human Rights on Cooperation in Protecting the Indonesian Migrant Workers, agreement between BP2MI and Directorate General of Immigration on the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers, and MoU between BP2MI and the Workers Social Security Agency (BPJS Ketenagakerjaan) on the Implementation of Workers Social Security Program for prospective Indonesian Migrant Workers/ Indonesian Migrant Workers. (BP2MI PR/UN) (RAS/MUR)