A POST-STRUCTURALIST FEMINISM PERSPECTIVE ON MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING 2006 BETWEEN INDONESIA AND MALAYSIA AS PROTECTION EFFORTS FOR INDONESIAN MIGRANT DOMESTIC WORKERS IN MALAYSIA AGAINST VIOLENCE

Abstract

A major coverage of the abuses against Indonesian domestic workers in Malaysia firstly depicted in 2004. Since then, more cases on violence against Indonesian domestic workers keep surfaced. The bilateral talk between Indonesia and Malaysia on this matter did not take place until 2006. In May 2006, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between both countries finally was achieved. The following years, however, a series of violence against Indonesian domestic workers in Malaysia once again resurfaced, indicating the MoU is ineffective in preventing the violence from taking place. The MoU, in fact, has slipped from the origin purpose. A number of the MoU points are not siding with the domestic workers who are the real victim here. One of the highlight is the passport of the domestic workers must be submitted to employers for safekeeping. If said worker is exposed to violence environment, they cannot escape regardless. The MoU contained language and choice of words that favored the employers instead of the workers. The document was drafted by the politicians. preoccupied with inadequate knowledge on .domestic. matter. They turn blind eye on domestic workers point of view, because it is considered too household-related. Masculinity is the dominant knowledge in public and it usually prevents discussion on household-matters have stage in public. Consequently, domestic-workers that are associated more with femininity, have low bargaining power compare to employers and even the labor recruiters. Yet, the default setting on knowledge is highly shaped by masculinity; that includes decision-making that produce the futile MoU as foreign policy output.