inp.polri.go.id - Jakarta. Head of Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection Agency (BP2MI) Benny Rhamdani saw the necessity of an endowment fund for Indonesian Migrant Workers (PMI) to boost their protection.

Benny says that the government has to support the protection and welfare improvement for PMI and their families considering their integral role in contributing foreign exchange to the country.

"I propose this endowment fund of IDR 3 trillion to the government," said Benny on Monday (9/22/2024). He considered that the figure was only a small part of the IDR 230 trillion in foreign exchange contributed by PMI in 2023 according to Bank Indonesia data.

Benny hopes that the funds can be used to help migrant workers get better protection, including helping them when they experience illness or disaster in the country of placement.

In addition, the funds can be used to ensure the welfare of PMI families who are still in Indonesia, including to guarantee education and health for their respective families.

Furthermore, Benny also hopes that the funds can be used to help PMI develop their businesses when they return to Indonesia. The funds can be managed by each related ministry/institution, such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology, and the Ministry of Health.

(ad/ndt/pr/nm)