ULM Strengthens Legal Awareness of Officials and the Public through Counseling on the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers

Banjarmasin, December 15, 2025 – Lambung Mangkurat University (ULM) reaffirmed its role as a university actively contributing to strategic national issues through a Legal Counseling Activity on the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers. The activity was held at the Lecture Theater, General Building, ULM Banjarmasin, on Monday (12/15), and was attended by officials, students, and community members.

This counseling activity aims to build legal awareness among officials and the public regarding the protection of Indonesian migrant workers, not only from a regulatory perspective, but also in the context of justice, safety, and human dignity. The event was attended by the Vice Rector I and Vice Rector III of ULM, demonstrating the university leadership’s full support for strengthening legal literacy among the academic community.

Representing the ULM Rector were Vice Rector I for Academic Affairs Dr. Iwan Aflani, Dr. M.Kes., Sp.F., S.H., stated that the issue of migrant worker protection cannot be viewed solely from statistics.

“Behind the migrant worker data lies the issue of welfare, safety, and human dignity. Through this activity, we hope to grow together in our understanding of the law, including the technical aspects and documents that need to be understood, especially by students,” he said.

He also emphasized that ULM has human resources that can be utilized to help resolve the problems of Indonesian migrant workers, including through collaboration with universities in Malaysia for children of migrant workers who wish to continue their education at ULM.

“We believe that collaboration between the government, universities, and the community is the key to success in realizing the protection and welfare of migrant workers,” he added.

The activity was officially opened by the Head of the Legal Bureau for the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers, Wahyudi Putra, who also served as the keynote speaker. In his remarks, he stated that although the relevant Minister was unable to attend, this activity was an important momentum in realizing the President’s vision to improve community welfare sustainably through the overseas employment sector.

Wahyudi Putra explained that South Kalimantan Province is one of the origin regions for Indonesian migrant workers, with significant potential, not only in the domestic sector but also in higher-paying professional jobs.

“The government is committed to encouraging up to 500,000 Indonesian migrant workers to fill professional positions in various countries. This momentum is crucial to fill global job opportunities with competent and legal workers,” he explained.

He also emphasized the importance of legal literacy so that the public understands the procedures for officially placing migrant workers and avoids non-procedural practices.

With limited government capacity, collaboration with universities is a strategic step to provide contextual and sustainable legal education. ULM, through this activity, plays a role as a government partner in disseminating legal understanding to the public and students, while also opening up opportunities for further collaboration.

This legal outreach is expected to be the starting point for further educational and mentoring activities related to the protection of Indonesian migrant workers. While it cannot resolve all issues in a single activity, this forum provides an important foundation for building shared understanding and gradual policy implementation.

Through this activity, Lambung Mangkurat University affirms its commitment to supporting the protection of Indonesian migrant workers, while strengthening the role of higher education as an agent of social change that upholds the values of justice and humanity.