Indonesia illegal workers return home<\/p>\n
Fadli, The Jakarta Post, Tanjung Pinang<\/p>\n
Some 184 Indonesian illegal workers arrived back in Indonesia at
\nthe Sri Bintan Pura International Port in Tanjung Pinang, Riau
\nIslands province on Thursday from Malaysia.<\/p>\n
The workers, who were jailed by Malaysian authorities for not
\nhaving proper immigration documents, arrived at the port at 2:30
\np.m.<\/p>\n
One of the illegal workers, Udin Batubara, 36, said he was
\narrested by Malaysian police on Oct. 10 last year because he did
\nnot have documents to legally work as a construction worker in
\nKedah.<\/p>\n
"I was whipped once on my thigh. It was really painful, but
\nI'll be going back to Malaysia. Working there is better than in
\nIndonesia. I'll get my immigration documents first," said the
\nnative of Tanjung Balai, Asahan in North Sumatra, who first came
\nto Malaysia in 1993.<\/p>\n
Udin claimed he went to Malaysia for the first time using a
\nsocial visit visa, instead of obtaining a working permit.<\/p>\n
Another returning illegal worker, Alam, a 24-year-old native
\nof Makassar in South Sulawesi, said he was arrested in January
\nthis year for not having a permit to work in Malaysia.<\/p>\n
"I work as a tradesman in the furniture industry in Johor. The
\nsalary isn't much, only RM 40 per day. I had only worked there a
\nmonth when I was arrested," said Alam, claiming that he felt
\ndeceived by the manpower company that had sent him there with
\npromises of a big salary.<\/p>\n
"I don't want to go back to Malaysia," said Alam, who said he
\nhas no money left to get back to his hometown.<\/p>\n
Similar sentiments also came from Sumarli, a 22-year-old
\nmother of a baby girl who was born when she was in the Pokok Sena
\nPrison.<\/p>\n
The native of Lampung claimed she arrived in Malaysia in mid
\n2004, without a work permit.<\/p>\n
"My baby was born in the prison. My husband was also arrested
\nfor not having work permit. I'll never go back there. Living in
\nthe prison is so sad. I was beaten and my belongings that we
\nbought from working there could not be taken home," Sumarli said.<\/p>\n
Head of the immigration traffic section at Tanjung Pinang
\nImmigration Office, Yhon Rizal Yohannis, said Thursday's arrivals
\nwas the biggest return of illegal Indonesian workers who had
\ncompleted serving their time in Malaysian prisons.<\/p>\n
Previously, some 148 deported Indonesian illegal immigrants
\narrived on April 15, 69 more on April 17, 32 on April 22 and 114
\non April 27.<\/p>\n
"The workers arrive here by using the MV Sentosa ship, usually
\non Thursdays. Their trips back home are paid for, up to Tanjung
\nPriok Port (in Jakarta) along with food money. But they're not
\ngiven money, everything is arranged by the ship's agent trusted
\nby the Malaysian government," Yhon said.<\/p>\n
He said that many Indonesian workers continues to go to
\nMalaysia despite the threat of deportation. His office, he added,
\nhad recorded hundreds of Indonesian workers who had gone back to
\nMalaysia without proper documents.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/indonesia-illegal-workers-return-home-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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