KUALA LUMPUR - Indonesia is considering a moratorium on sending its workers to conflict areas as tensions in the Middle East escalate.

Migrant Workers Protection Minister, Mukhtarudin said the government is preparing policies to suspend or ban worker placements in affected regions.

“We are preparing alternative policies for suspension or banning worker placements in conflict areas,” said Mukhtarudin during a working meeting with the House of Representatives' Commission IX in Jakarta on April 8.

The ministry has set up a crisis monitoring team to track conditions in the Middle East, especially in Iran and nearby countries.

The team works closely with government representatives and provides daily updates on the situation in countries such as Oman, Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

Mukhtarudin said the government has identified high-risk areas and will avoid sending workers to the most vulnerable locations.

He added that the ministry will coordinate with the Foreign Ministry and Parliament before making any decision on the moratorium.

Indonesia is also preparing evacuation plans and support facilities for its workers if the situation worsens.

The government is offering online counselling services to help workers affected by the conflict.

“They may have not been affected physically, but they feel traumatized because they hear bombs and missiles in their areas,” said Mukhtarudin.

The ministry said about 20,000 Indonesian workers are currently in the Middle East region.

Of these, around 4,000 are located near the borders of Azerbaijan, Turkey and Turkmenistan, while about 16,000 are in areas near Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.