Deported RI workers left stranded<\/p>\n
Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan, North Sumatra<\/p>\n
At least 176 Indonesian workers have been stranded in North
\nSumatra and are waiting to be returned to their homes throughout
\nthe archipelago after being deported from Malaysia, security
\nofficers said Saturday.<\/p>\n
The workers, including 72 women, were left abandoned by their
\nbrokers in the town of Panyabungan in Mandailing Natal regency
\nafter they arrived at Belawan Port in the provincial capital of
\nMedan on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Police and military removed them on Saturday from several
\nplaces where they had been sheltering in Mandailing Natal.<\/p>\n
The deported workers are now sheltering at the Mandailing
\nNatal Police station before they are returned to their hometowns
\nin Madura and Surabaya in East Java; Lombok in West Nusa
\nTenggara; West Kalimantan; Batam, Dumai and Pekanbaru in Riau.<\/p>\n
Panyabungan military chief Capt. Yamin Sohar said the
\ndeportees were moved after two of them reported their problems to
\nhis office.<\/p>\n
He said his personnel and police had managed to arrest several
\nbrokers suspected of transporting them to Mandailing Natal from
\nBelawan Port.<\/p>\n
The illegal workers told investigators that the brokers had
\npromised to take them from Mandailing Natal to Dumai aboard a bus
\nbefore sending them home, Yamin said.<\/p>\n
However, the suspects left the workers stranded in
\nPanyabungan, he added.<\/p>\n
Mandailing Natal Police deputy chief Adj. Comr. A.M. Kamal
\nvowed to try to find the main suspects behind the case.<\/p>\n
"This act cannot be justified because it makes people suffer,"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Malaysia is watching all entry points fearing that
\nmany illegal migrants would attempt to return to Malaysia after
\nleaving for Idul Fitri celebrations, AFP reported Saturday.<\/p>\n
Marine police would ensure that foreign workers without proper
\npermits who left the country would not be able to reenter, Aseh
\nChe Mat, the Home Ministry's secretary-general, was quoted as
\nsaying.<\/p>\n
To date, a total of 1,200 illegal immigrants have been caned
\nby Malaysian authorities under tough immigration laws introduced
\non Aug. 1 last year.<\/p>\n
More than 300,000 mainly Indonesian illegal immigrants left
\nMalaysia last year under a four-month amnesty.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/deported-ri-workers-left-stranded-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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