Bagus BT Saragih, Hong Kong – About 40 people claiming to be Indonesian workers staged a protest near the Shangri-La hotel in Hong Kong where President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was staying during his official visit to Hong Kong.

The workers, grouped under the International Migrants Alliance Hong Kong, chanted protest messages against President Yudhoyono and Vice President Boediono, who they said were "America's puppets and leaders of the anti-migrant workers regime".

At the time of the rally, Yudhoyono was meeting with representatives of Indonesians living in Hong Kong at the hotel.

According to the protesters, domestic helpers had not been invited to the event. "Migrant workers are the second-largest foreign exchange contributor to Indonesia, yet Yudhoyono opted to meet with businessmen to sell Indonesia's assets," said one demonstrator.

Prior to the meeting with Indonesians, the President, along with some of his ministers, indeed had a closed-door meeting with 12 Hong Kong tycoons.

As of December 2011, 150,613 Indonesian domestic helpers were working in Hong Kong, according to Sendra Utami, an official from Indonesia's Consulate General in Hong Kong.

The protesters said they had numerous complaints to deliver to the President. Among the issues was the obligation to pay about HK$21,000 to local agents while their salary was not more than $4,000 per month.

The government plan to increase fuel prices April 1 could result in more Indonesians opting to work overseas, while government efforts to protect migrant workers remained poor, according to the protesters. (swd)