No fines for migrant workers returning from Saudi: ministry

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Mon, 02/14/2011

The Indonesian and Saudi Arabian governments have agreed that no fines will be imposed on illegal Indonesian migrant workers who have been dismissed from Saudi Arabia, the manpower and transmigration ministry announced on Monday.

“The two countries have reached an agreement during the bilateral discussions to ease the sending back home [of illegal Indonesian migrant workers], and [this is done by] imposing no fines,” the Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Muhaimin Iskandar said.

The Indonesia government has facilitated the return of 301 Indonesians who were forced to live under bridges when their visas expired.

The migrant workers arrived at noon in Jakarta via a Garuda Airlines flight.