Indonesia inks charter at last
JAKARTA — Indonesia's parliament yesterday ratified the South-east Asian charter committing Asean member nations to promote democracy and human rights, clearing the way for its formal adoption before year's end. The country was the last member of the 10-nation Association of South-east Asian Nations to ratify the charter, which also sets out rules, transforms Asean into a legal entity and envisages a single free trade area by 2015. It is now expected to be formally adopted at the regional bloc's annual summit in Bangkok in December.
But opponents in Indonesia criticised it as a purely symbolic document with no power to bring real democratic reform to errant members like militaryruled Myanmar. Lawmakers said they had ratified it with four key conditions which will be submitted for further discussion, aimed at strengthening the charter and setting serious consequences for rule-breakers. "The charter is open to amendments in the future and we can always fine-tune them along the way," Foreign Minister Hasan Wirajuda said, adding that he hoped the charter would bring human rights improvements in states like Myanmar.
"Once the charter is formed, we will see how serious Myanmar is in making its roadmap to democracy. We will see if it keeps to its promise," he said. Asean consists of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The charter will give the bloc greater clout in international negotiations, but critics argue black sheep like Myanmar will continue to get away with gross human rights abuses. In July, Myanmar ratified the charter amid much fanfare at an Asean ministerial conference in Singapore. The country's
secretive junta is under European Union and United States sanctions over its long record of human rights abuses. Lawmaker Marzuki Darusman, who was on the committee that helped to draft the ratification law, said Indonesia must show "solidarity" with other member states on the charter, but it still wanted changes. "Some members of the parliament feel that as a big country we have been pressured to address the Myanmar issue so that it will conform to international norms," he said. "We have to show that ratification is not just a formality ... Non-compliance should not just be set aside, ignored or allowed to happen without responsibility." Mr Asmara Nababan, head of the Centre for Democracy and Human Rights in Jakarta, said the charter was a step forward, even if it needed improvements.
"This is a milestone for Indonesia and Asean and it will put human rights more at the centre of the agenda," he told AFP.
"But there is a lot of work to do to make it more effective in the promotion and protection of human rights, if you compare the region to Europe and the United States." AFP
When things go wrong for them ...
The task of housing them may have made headines as of late, but another set of problems surrounding foreign workers came to the fore yesterday in Parliament. Some workers come to Singapore only to find that no jobs-and hence, no pay - had been arranged for them. Others find their work permits terminated early by employers, thereby losing their chance to stay and pay off the heavy debts they incurred to come here.
When things go wrong for foreign workers, can Singapore do more to protect them? Members of Parliament wanted to know. In response to these queries, Acting Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong said " the vast majority" of foreign workers here "have worked and are beging paid their salaries". Those seeking help from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM)for salary arrears, in particular, accounted for less than 0.2 percent of foreign workers, on average, he said.
Foreign workers who arrive to find that there is no work for them, meanwhile, comprise a "very small number", going by the incidence of illegal deployment last year — less than 0.05 per cent of foreign workers, said Mr Gan, who added that the work pass application procedure was designed to address this issue. "For example, construction and marine companies need to show documentary proof that they have ongoing projects before work permits are issued to them," he said. But what about employers who terminate work permits of employees who complain about them? "In such instances, MOM may allow these workers to change their employers and continue to work here on a case-by-case basis, if they have not committed any offence," said Mr Gan.
Workers assisting MOM in investigations will be issued special passes and can seek employment under the Temporary Jobs scheme. "In some cases, it may be in the best interests for workers to return to their home countries if there is no suitable work for them," he said. Nominated MP Siew Kum Hong pointed out, though, that workers desperately want to stay to pay off the debts they incurred to travel here. "Does the Ministry intend to re-look the industry structure ... and see if (it) can be better structured so that the workers are not saddled with very high debts before they start work?" he asked.
According to Mr Gan, these debts are often incurred in the workers' home countries, outside of Singapore's jurisdiction. "What we can do is work with foreign missions here to share our information, so that they can … prevent manipulation and exploitation of their own workers," he said. MP Baey Yam Keng (Tanjong Pagar GRC) was concerned that employers who "sublet" foreign workers to other businesses would take work away from Singaporean
contract workers, who cost more. Mr Gan replied that some flexibility was allowed to subcontract workers, for instance, the construction sector, which had fluctuating demand. "But in manufacturing and services, for example, the employers have to employ their foreign workers in the job specified in the work permit, so it's quite clear and specific."
[Source: Todayonline]
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