Kuala Lumpur, August 1, 2024 – The Social Welfare Studies Program (Prodi IKS) of the Faculty of Dakwah and Communication (FDK) at UIN Sunan Kalijaga visited an advocacy organization for the Indonesian Muslim Workers' Union (Sarbumusi) in Malaysia. This activity was attended by Prof. Dr. Hj. Marhumah, M.Pd., Dean of the Faculty of Dakwah and Communication; Siti Solechah, M.Si., Head of the Social Welfare Studies Program; Abidah Muflihati, M.Si., Secretary of the IKS Program; IKS lecturers (Lathiful Khuluq, Ph.D., M. Izzul Haq, M.Sc., Idan Ramdani, M.A., Khotibul Umam, M.Si., Noorkamilah, M.Si.); Sudarmawan, IKS program staff; Kisy Anif Ngestiti, S.Sos., an IKS Program alumna; and 28 IKS students who received the Santri Excellence Scholarship Program (PBSB-LPDP) in the 2023 cohort. The visit was warmly welcomed by Mr. Sumarno, Chair of Sarbumusi Malaysia; Rahman, Chair of Gusdurian Malaysia; Yafik Mursyid, Vice Chair of PCINU Malaysia and a PBSB scholarship alumnus currently pursuing a doctoral program at the University of Malaya; along with Sarbumusi PCINU Malaysia administrators.

The event was facilitated by Rahman and began with a speech by M. Izzul Haq, M.Sc., representing the IKS Program. This was followed by a presentation from Mr. Sumarno, who shared his experiences as an Indonesian "hero of foreign exchange" in Malaysia. He highlighted the joys and struggles faced by Indonesian migrant workers (PMI) in Malaysia, including instances of abuse by employers and stories of workers pursuing education while working. Indonesian migrant workers are employed in various sectors, such as palm oil plantations, construction, cleaning services, and domestic work. Many migrant workers face challenges, including unpaid wages, inadequate living conditions, abuse of domestic workers, irresponsible employers, exploitation with excessive working hours, and lack of days off.

After Mr. Sumarno’s presentation, a discussion session followed, where participants—both lecturers and students—were encouraged to ask questions. The responses were provided by Mr. Sumarno, Rahman, and Yafik. The visit concluded with the presentation of a souvenir to Sarbumusi and a closing prayer led by M. Izzul Haq, M.Sc.

This visit provided significant benefits, including broadening the knowledge and understanding of lecturers and students regarding best practices in advocating for Indonesian migrant workers in Malaysia. Participants also gained insights into strategies for addressing the challenges faced by Indonesian migrant workers in Malaysia.