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Indonesian Minister on Saudi Mercy Mission Is Still Awaiting Visa
Armando Siahaan & Antara | November 23, 2010

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langfordpeter
7:36pm Nov 24, 2010

The Indonesian government is working hard to attract the Saudis to invest in large scale agriculture projects in Indonesia. Currently, the Saudi BinLadin Group will most likely be investing US$3.3 billion to set up an operation on 500,000 hectares of land across Indonesia. The BinLadin Group is known to have close ties with the ruling Saudi family. Saudi companies are said to be keen to invest in the agricultural sector, particularly food, cattle breeding, fowl industry, cattle feed and fisheries. While Indonesia needs billions of dollars in investment to support its target of 7% economic growth by 2014.

Having said that...what can anyone expect?


masmon2
7:08pm Nov 24, 2010

An absolute disgrace..the Saudi authorities should feel ashamed of themselves.

TGIF
5:18pm Nov 24, 2010

Why would I NOT be surprised??? First excuse would probably be that she is a Woman Minister. Second excuse would be the vacation period for the Saudi officials to get their acts together.

"Let's not think negatively"...Perhaps so but why be passive as always. Indonesians regardless need to stand up and SAY ENOUGH IS ENOUGH...If Indonesians are ruthless with each other why can' they be the same way with foreigners especially with these types of people they are dealing with.

That's right, Indonesians don't want to aggravate the masters and guardians of the most sacred place on earth for the sake of the yearly prilgrim quotas and rights to worship there.

On the other hand, one would always wonder why the Saudis come to Indonesia...What is their business here?


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Jakarta. An Indonesian minister tasked last week with ensuring the welfare of a migrant worker tortured and abused in Saudi Arabia was still stuck here on Monday, six days after being asked to fly out.

Linda Gumelar, the state minister for women’s empowerment and child protection, confirmed on Monday that she was still waiting for a visa to Saudi Arabia to ensure that the victim, Sumiati, was well treated and received justice.

“A ministerial-level visa not only needs to be approved by the Saudi Embassy in Indonesia but also by authorities in Saudi Arabia,” she said. “Let’s not think negatively. I heard the Saudi government hasn’t approved my visa because it was still a holiday there. The government has just resumed its activities [on Monday].”

She said, however, that Saudi authorities had already let other Indonesian officials into the country.

“Several members of my team have departed for Saudi Arabia and we have kept in close contact. I have also met with the Saudi ambassador who promised to help speed up my visa application.”

Linda was ordered on Wednesday to lead an inter-ministerial team to help ensure that justice is served for Sumiati, 23, whose shocking injuries have again highlighted the abuse of female migrant workers in the Middle East.

Sumiati, from Sumbawa in West Nusa Tenggara, is being treated at a hospital in Medina, suffering from multiple internal and external injuries, after alleged abuse by her Saudi employers.

Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman Michael Tene suspected that Linda’s visa was delayed because of a procedural differences for authorization between a minister and a non-minister. He said there was no report of visa rejection so far.

Meanwhile, Muhaimin Iskandar, the minister of manpower and transmigration, said the body of Kikim Komalasari, an Indonesian worker allegedly killed by her employers in Saudi Arabia, would be flown home to Cianjur, West Java, next week.

Indonesian officials had arrived in Jeddah to repatriate her body, he said.

Kikim’s brutalized body was found in a dumpster last week in the Saudi city of Abha. Her neck was slashed and she had deep cuts over her body. Saudi Police say her employers murdered her.

Muhaimin has also threatened to freeze the licenses of labor placement agencies, also known as PJTKI, found to have sent migrant workers abroad without the required skills or preparation.


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