Labor trafficking in Batam to be probed<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The government will investigate the recent
\nsmuggling of hundreds of workers to Malaysia through Batam
\nIsland, Riau.<\/p>\n
Director General for Manpower Placement Abdul Rachim told
\njournalists that the government would ask Malaysia to deport 274
\nillegal Indonesian workers smuggled in last month.<\/p>\n
The government will also send home 83 workers who were to be
\nsmuggled into Malaysia and who are now stranded on Batam Island.
\nThey will also track down the responsible manpower suppliers.<\/p>\n
"The case will be thoroughly investigated by the ministry of
\nmanpower, the immigration office and the Riau provincial
\nadministration," he said.<\/p>\n
The attempt to smuggle the 83 illegal workers was foiled by
\naccident when Minister of Manpower Abdul Latief paid a surprised
\nvisit to their temporary shelter provided by a Malaysian company
\nat the Batu Ampar seaport.<\/p>\n
They were the remaining 83 of the 357 illegal workers
\nallegedly to be smuggled by PT Oring Jabu Jaya and PT Andromeda
\nGraha through their Malaysian partner Anamona Consortium Bhd,
\nwhich has a branch office on the island.<\/p>\n
"Some of them did not have the official documents but some had
\npassports and the necessary documents to work in Malaysia,"
\nRachim said.<\/p>\n
Head of the Batam local manpower office A. Jufri who
\naccompanied Rachim at the press meeting said that he had
\nquestioned the Anamona Consortium Bhd's branch manager, who he
\nidentified only as ZA, on the island.<\/p>\n
"He (ZA) admitted to having shipped 274 illegal Indonesian
\nworkers from Batam to Malaysia on March 28, 1995. He obtained
\nthem from PT Oring Jabu Jaya and PT Andromeda Graha," he said.<\/p>\n
PT Oring Jabu Jaya and PT Andromeda Graha are two of around
\n165 manpower supplier companies which have applied for new
\nlicenses from the government.<\/p>\n
Jufri said he has asked the Batam authorities to prohibit ZA
\nfrom leaving the island so that he will be available for further
\nquestioning. "The Batam police are now collecting evidence to
\ndetain him," he said.<\/p>\n
Rachim acknowledged that the Riau islands, including Batam
\nIsland, has long become a transit point for smugglers to send
\nillegal workers from Java and West Nusa Tenggara to Malaysia.<\/p>\n
"We will, therefore, enhance coordination with the provincial
\nadministration and other government agencies to curb the
\nsmuggling of workers," he said.<\/p>\n
Secretary General to the director general for manpower
\nplacement, Jack Iskandar, who accompanied the minister on last
\nweek's Batam visit, said that the smuggling of workers through
\nthe area was still rife. (rms)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/labor-trafficking-in-batam-to-be-probed-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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