72,000 RI workers sent home from Malaysia<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A total of 72,191 Indonesians in Malaysia have
\nbeen sent home to their places of origin in various parts of
\nIndonesia, Antara quoted Malaysian authorities in Kuala Lumpur on
\nMonday.<\/p>\n
Malaysian immigration director Aseh Cha Mat said the
\nIndonesians left through 23 immigration checkpoints throughout
\nthe peninsula. Most entered Malaysia illegally or did not have
\nworking permits.<\/p>\n
The Malaysian government, on the occasion of the country's
\nNational Day, has granted a pardon to illegal foreign residents
\nand allowed them to return to their country. The amnesty is
\neffective from Sept. 1 through Oct. 31, 1998.<\/p>\n
Before leaving Malaysia, the Indonesians were required to
\nobtain a travel document in lieu of a passport from the
\nIndonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur or the Indonesian Consulates
\nin Johor Baru and Pinang Island.<\/p>\n
By mid-October, the embassy had issued 27,000 travel papers,
\nand the Indonesian Consul in Johor Baru another 18,000.<\/p>\n
Most of the Indonesians hailed from East Java, followed by
\nWest Nusa Tenggara, Central Java and Riau.<\/p>\n
Other illegal workers in Malaysia came from Bangladesh, the
\nPhilippines, India, Myanmar, Pakistan, Nepal, Thailand, Sri Lanka
\nand Cambodia.<\/p>\n
Malaysian television on Oct. 25 showed large numbers of
\npassengers at the Malacca seaport about to cross the Malacca
\nStrait to Riau.<\/p>\n
The Indonesians mostly returned by ferry from Johor Baru to
\nBatam Island and Tanjung Pinang, and from Malacca port to Dumai
\nin Riau.<\/p>\n
Antara said many ferry passengers in Johor Baru had to spend a
\nwhole day at the Setulang Laut ferry port waiting for their turn
\nto board.<\/p>\n
According to a Johor Baru travel bureau, most of the ferry
\npassengers heading for Tanjung Pinang were people who will
\ncontinue their journey to Java island.<\/p>\n
The boat ferrying passengers from Tandjung Pinang to Jakarta
\nleaves for Java every Sunday, meaning that the Indonesians would
\nhave to wait for days for their turn.<\/p>\n
Some of the better-off chose to fly home by foreign airlines
\nbecause flying the flag-carrier Garuda was more expensive.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/72000-ri-workers-sent-home-from-malaysia-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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