The ban is due to come into effect from the start of August.JEDDAH/DAMMAM: Sources in Indonesia have described the ban on domestic workers taking employment in Saudi Arabia as “politically motivated”. The ban, announced by the Indonesian Ministry of Labor Wednesday, is due to come into effect from the start of August, but the sources said they were skeptical of the government's seriousness. “The Indonesian government always turns to tactics like these ahead of elections,” the sources said. “It has announced the same ban several times in the past, yet the supply of Indonesians to Saudi Arabia has not stopped once.” They said the government had deliberately left for itself room to backtrack on its decision by setting demands that have effectively already been met. “The conditions sought have been fulfilled by the agreements signed by the Saudi Minister of Labor and Muhammad Jamhour Hedaya, Chairman of the Indonesian National Commission for Employment and Protection of the Rights of Indonesian Workers Overseas,” the sources said. Following Wednesday's announcement, Saad Al-Baddah, Chairman of the National Recruitment Committee, urged Saudi authorities to respond by banning the recruitment of all Indonesian workers to the Kingdom. “In reality, the influx of Indonesian workers into the Kingdom stopped more than six months ago, and due to the alternative labor sources available the Saudi market has not been greatly affected,” Al-Baddah said. Since the disputes began with Indonesia, Saudi Arabia has increased its intake of housemaids from Ethiopia, Nepal, Kenya and Sri Lanka.
