Historical Trace: The Indonesian Government's Legal Politics on Sending Indonesian Migrant Workers to Malaysia 1970-1989

Abstract

The issue of labor in Indonesia has been the talk of social scientists and historians sincethe time of the Dutch colonial government through the discussion of Koeli Ordinantie or WervingsOrdinantie. During the Old Order government, labor activities received attention for the appointment of labor activist S.K. Trimurti as Minister of Labor (1947 – 1948). During the New Order government, the migration of workers abroad entered 1970 and received legalization throughthe Regulation of the Minister of Manpower No. 4 of 1970. In 1984, the Decree of the Minister of Manpower No. Kep. 408 / Men / 1984 concerning the Deployment and Delivery of Manpower to Malaysia was established, which began with the enactment of the
Decree of the Minister of Manpower No. Kep. 184 / Men / 1984. The enactment of the Decree of the Minister of ManpowerNo. Kep. 408 / Men / 1984 through the concept of legal poitics will reveal the background of the formation, enforcement process, and its impact on Indonesian Migrant Workers working in Malaysia (1970 – 1989). This research uses historical methods that begin with the process of Heuristics, Verification, Interpretation and Historiography. The results of the study proved that thedetermination of the Decree of the Minister of Manpower No. Kep. 408 / Men / 1984 was based onsocial, economic, and political conditions in Indonesia and Malaysia (1970 - 1984). The impact ofthe decree, in addition to protecting, there are also efforts by the government and the private sectorto limit and seek benefits in the process of deploying and sending Indonesian Migrant Workers to Malaysia.