RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - As geopolitical tensions ripple across the Middle East, the Indonesian government is moving swiftly to safeguard its citizens working in the region. The Ministry of Migrant Worker Protection (P2MI) has intensified monitoring, strengthened crisis management mechanisms, and prepared contingency plans to ensure the safety of Indonesian migrant workers in affected countries.

Minister of Migrant Worker Protection Mukhtarudin underscored that the government is taking a proactive and measured approach. “Since the onset of the escalation, we activated crisis management protocols. Daily monitoring is conducted in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Indonesian missions in the region. The state does not wait for the situation to deteriorate,” Mukhtarudin said on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, as quoted on the ministry's website.

Through its Directorate General of Protection, the P2MI Ministry has established a Geopolitical Crisis Monitoring Team tasked with real-time data collection and updates on thousands of Indonesian workers in impacted areas, including Qatar and zones near military installations. Risk mapping is continuously refined to support rapid and well-informed decision-making.

Mitigation measures include urging workers to avoid conflict-prone areas, military bases, and other vulnerable locations, and to relocate to safer zones if necessary. Complaint channels have been reinforced to handle reports ranging from security threats and wage delays to job terminations and requests for repatriation.

Close coordination is maintained with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Indonesian missions in Tehran, Riyadh, Doha, and Abu Dhabi to synchronize data and prepare contingency strategies. Preventive steps such as evacuation simulations and temporary suspension of placements in high-risk areas are already on the table should tensions escalate further.

“We are preparing multiple scenarios, including evacuation and stricter placement controls. Every measure is based on factual information, diplomatic coordination, and prudence,” Mukhtarudin emphasized.

The P2MI Ministry is also tightening oversight to prevent irregular placements that could exploit the crisis. Cyber patrols and digital literacy campaigns are being reinforced to curb the spread of unverified information that might trigger panic.

The ministry has urged Indonesian migrant workers across the Middle East to remain calm, follow official guidance from Indonesian missions, and promptly report emergencies through designated channels. Authorities assure that every report will be addressed through established support and advocacy mechanisms, ensuring the protection of workers’ rights amid shifting geopolitical dynamics. ***