JEDDAH, 5 March 2006 — Indonesia has newly introduced a procedure, which involves fingerprinting of its housemaids and other workers leaving for overseas jobs.
The procedure, according to local Saudi agents, is the main reason for an “inordinate delay” in the arrival of maids from Indonesia.
An Indonesian consulate official confirmed the fingerprinting procedure newly introduced by the Indonesian passport department.
“We’re not stopping our workers from leaving the country for overseas jobs. It’s a new procedure that has lately been introduced. The Indonesian immigration has been fingerprinting not only maids but all other workers who depart for overseas jobs,” Indonesian Consul Maqom Sabilillah told Arab News yesterday.
He also mentioned that there could be a delay in the arrival of maids and other workers from Indonesia due to the new system.
“The immigration is fingerprinting about 1,000 passport holders a day against 5,000 passports that it handled before. So this could result in a delay in the coming of workers from Indonesia,” he said.
Indonesian maids are by far the most popular among Saudi families because they are Muslims and tend to get along very well with their employers.
Meanwhile, Indonesian Legal and Human Rights Minister Hamid Awaluddin is reported to be heading for the Kingdom to discuss the issuance of passports for Indonesian citizens who have been staying in this part of the world without proper documents.
