JAKARTA: The delay in sending 148 Indonesian workers to the Malaysian plantation sector on Tuesday was due to visa problems and incomplete documents.

Head of the Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection Agency (BP2MI) Benny Ramdhani said the workers require work visa as one of the conditions to the country of placement - but the visa they had was not a work visa.

The pre-departure orientation (OPP) has also not been implemented because the document has not met the legal requirements, he said as reported by Antara.

OPP is an activity of providing information to job candidates who will start working abroad in order to for them to have mental preparation, and knowledge of their rights and obligations.

During the media briefing, Benny also explained that 23 of the 148 workers have not yet met the requirements or still need other documents in order to attend the OPP.

However, 125 eligible workers will undergo the OPP today in coordination with the Indonesian Ministry of Manpower.

"After OPP, can they leave? It is not the jurisdiction of BP2MI but Indonesian Immigration, "said Benny.

-- BERNAMA