Indonesia's APJATI urges reform of KP2MI sanctions on migrant worker placement firms

The Indonesian Association of Staffing Companies (APJATI) says administrative sanctions against Indonesian migrant worker placement firms (P3MI) should be educational rather than stigmatizing. APJATI chief Said Saleh Alwaini warned that “approaches that create stigma can damage reputation, erode foreign‑partner trust, halt recruitment and ultimately close job opportunities for Indonesian migrant workers.”

APJATI objected to the Ministry of Migrant Workers’ (KP2MI) plan to revoke licences of 61 P3MI that failed to place workers in a year, arguing that many obstacles lie outside the firms’ control, such as the prolonged Middle‑East moratorium, slow job‑order approvals for Japan, and regulatory gaps. The association cited Law No. 18/2017, noting that a one‑year placement record is not an explicit licence condition, and called for proportional, due‑process‑based penalties.

Both APJATI statements also urged President Prabowo Subianto to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of KP2MI’s performance as it transitions from the former agency (BP2MI) to a full ministry. “Success of a ministry is not measured by the number of regulations issued or sanctions imposed, but by service speed, legal certainty, protection strength and procedural placements,” said Alwaini. The group urged the creation of clear SOPs, a strengthened call‑center for case verification, and a case‑by‑case approach before any severe sanctions are applied.