The Quiet Road in Search for ‘Cuan’ in Other Countries

KOMPAS/KHAERUL ANWAR

Migrant workers from the islands of Lombok and Sumbawa, West Nusa Tenggara, usually spend their free time working on Saturdays and Sundays at Taman Victoria Park, Hong Kong.

Limited employment opportunities have prompted many Indonesians to look abroad for work. The strong determination to go overseas with a desire to work according to prevailing procedures is for many the beginning of a way to find cuan (good fortune) in the other countries.

Krisna Hadi, 50, a resident of Tampo village, Cluring district, Banyuwangi regency, East Java, has proven this. For three years as a migrant worker in Taiwan, Krisna did not face any difficulties. Social and health security was available. When he went home, he felt safe and comfortable because everything was guaranteed by the company that employed him. There was no need to play cat and mouse with the police and immigration officers.

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That calm and security enabled him to think about other things, namely the welfare of the surrounding environment. Working with Indonesian migrant workers from all over the world, Krisna helped KH Abbas Almansyur build the Baitussalam Integrated Islamic Boarding School (Pesantren) of Nadhlatul Ulama (NU) in Tampo village.

"Initially, we didn't expect much, simply enough to build a simple place, but it turns out that the response was extraordinary. From fellow migrant workers in Taiwan, we received Rp 1.2 billion [US$83,570]," Krisna said.

The place of education is under the Baitussalam foundation, whose donation is obtained from the social funds of migrant workers. Every time these workers get their salary, they set aside money to be sent to the Pesantren. The boarding school that manages the Integrated Junior High School of NU and the Integrated Madrasah of NU (MA) is now taking care of 190 santri ( Pesantren students) at no charge for orphans and those from poor families pay as they are able to.

Some of his fellow migrant workers conceded that the legal path was facilitating even though they were required to go through various stages before leaving.

Krisna's work on farms and paper factories in Taiwan was made possible because he departed through official procedures, which has allowed him to initiate social solidarity to build a Pesantren in Tampo village, one of the centers of migrant workers in Banyuwangi. Some of his fellow migrant workers conceded that the legal path was facilitating even though they were required to go through various stages before leaving.

Nirul, 44, a resident of Jajag, Banyuwangi, who has worked overseas through both the proper procedures and backdoor dealings, has experienced the difference.

PANDU WIYOGA

A total of 29 illegal migrant workers from East Nusa Tenggara were rescued by the Riau Islands Police at Kijang Harbor, Bintan, Riau Islands, Monday (26/8/2019).

"When I went through an official company, I was calm, everything was taken care of. I could get an employer with a good salary. My salary in 2001 could reach 10,000 Taiwan dollars or equivalent to Rp 3 million per month. However, when entering the illegal path, I was not able to get descent work. So, I worked as a paper folder with a wage of 500 Taiwan dollars per month," he said.

Deceived

Not only that, he was cheated by his own colleague who claimed to be able to take care of the

extension of his work visa. Not to mention he had to play cat and mouse with officers and lived many years in Taiwan without social and health security.

In the village of Dasan Borok, Suralaga district, East Lombok regency, West Nusa Tenggara, Friday (21/1), Saufiyah, 25, recalled the horror of traveling home from Malaysia through an illegal travel line. Saufiyah twice entered Malaysia using the official path in 2012 and 2016. Saufiyah was deterred and determined not to use illegal paths again.

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The last time she worked in Malaysia, she became pregnant, so her husband decided that they should return to their village.

"The work permit only allowed us to work for the four remaining months so we were not able to go straight home at that time. The choice was to go home through the unofficial path," Saufiyah said.

The decision was not as easy as imagined.

"We left during the day. Then, a tekong [ship owner] brought us to a forest. There were hundreds of people who wanted to go home. There, we hid, waiting for the night to come," Saufiyah said.

They walked without lighting in the forest, then swam to a ship waiting at sea.

After nightfall, the tekong took them to a beach. They walked without lighting in the forest, then swam to a ship waiting at sea.

Going home via the illegal path was not cheap. According to Saufiyah, they paid 1,250 ringgit ($298.47) per person. However, along the journey to the waters around Batam, Riau Islands, they were extorted by members of the illegal syndicate.

Kompas/P Raditya Mahendra Yasa (

One of the migrant workers from Malaysia shows a travel permit certificate after arriving at Tanjung Emas Port, Semarang City, Central Java, Friday (15/5/2020).

Various bitter experiences in taking illegal paths are a bad memory for many Indonesian migrant workers. It's time for migrant workers to get comprehensive protection from the government, from the time they leave home until they return to their village.

(This article was translated by Hyginus Hardoyo)