TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Labor has ruled out an extension of the amnesty period and warned illegal workers and Saudi employers that countrywide raids would start on Nov. 4.
Hattab Al-Enezi, the ministry's spokesman, rejected on Thursday reports carried by some channels and websites that the Saudi government would grant illegal workers more time. He said the reports were "misleading and false."
"Reports published on some social networking websites and channels about the possibility of another extension for illegals to correct their status, are not true. The amnesty deadline ends on Sunday and government agencies will swing into action the following day," said Al-Enezi in a statement.
Indonesia has requested for the extension of amnesty several times as thousands of Indonesian migrant workers are still finding difficulties dealing with the amnesty procedures in the Saudi Arabian immigration. Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has twice sent a letter to the Saudi King, King Abdullah, to discuss the issue.
"There are still many over-stayers Indonesian workers who have not finished the amnesty process. It's because of the slow and complicated procedures of immigration documents in the Saudi Arabia Immigration office. It's either for those who are going to work in Saudi Arabia or those who are going home to Indonesia," said the information center of the Indonesia Consultate in Jeddah, last week.
Several other countries such as India, Pakistan, Yemen, Bangladesh, Ethiopian, Nigeria, Egypt, the Philippines, and some other countries, are also facing the same problems as they have many over-stayers in Saudi Arabia.
ARAB NEWS | NATALIA SANTI
