RI set to take back 160,000 illegal workers from Malaysia<\/p>\n
Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The government is making the necessary preparations to facilitate
\nthe return of an estimated 160,000 Indonesian illegal workers
\nfrom Malaysia to celebrate Idul Fitri in their home villages.<\/p>\n
Director General of Overseas Labor Placement at the Ministry
\nof Manpower and Transmigration, I Gusti Made Arka, said here on
\nTuesday that the government would provide additional services and
\nadditional public transportation in the nearest ports to the
\nworkers' hometowns.<\/p>\n
More detailed arrangements to welcome the workers home would be
\ndiscussed during a technical meeting involving the manpower
\nministry, the transportation ministry, the home ministry and the
\nDirectorate General of Immigration on Wednesday, Arka said.<\/p>\n
He asserted that the handling of the workers's return would be
\ndone extra carefully as it would coincide with the exodus of
\nmillions of people across the country prior to the Idul Fitri
\nholidays, which will fall on Nov. 15.<\/p>\n
Around 160,000 out of an estimated 700,000 Indonesian workers
\nworking illegally in Malaysia are expected to return home
\nfollowing the Malaysian government's offer of an amnesty to those
\nwho are willing to leave the neighboring country between Oct. 29
\nand Nov. 14.<\/p>\n
The amnesty is only for illegal workers who have no airline or
\nship tickets and who are not facing prosecution in the Malaysian
\ncourts.<\/p>\n
Arka said the government would deploy extra personnel and more
\nvehicles to transport the migrant workers to their hometowns.<\/p>\n
\"There will be more personnel and public transportation
\nstanding by at sea and airports in Sumatra, Java, West Nusa
\nTenggara, Kalimantan and Sulawesi to make sure the workers are
\ntransported and arrive in their home villages safely,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Arka said Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Fahmi Idris
\nwould visit Kuala Lumpur to coordinate with his Malaysian
\ncounterpart on a planned massive deportation of around 600,000
\nmore illegal workers in January.<\/p>\n
\"The mission's main purpose is to make sure that the
\ndeportations will be conducted in a gradual and humane manner. We
\nwill also ensure Malaysia that we will enhance security at the
\nborder with Indonesia as early as possible to prevent to prevent
\nIndonesian migrants from entering Malaysia illegally.<\/p>\n
\"On our side, we will enforce the law on the placement and
\nprotection of workers overseas against anyone and any company
\nsupplying illegal workers to the neighboring country,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Malaysia is scheduled to launch an operation to crack down on
\naround 1.2 million illegal workers, mostly from Indonesia, in
\nJanuary. They will be deported to seaports close to their
\nhometowns in Indonesia and will be given pocket money.<\/p>\n
Fahmi said on Tuesday that the government would allocate Rp 104
\nbillion (US$11.4 million) out of the 2005 state budget to
\ntransport the deported illegals back to their home villages.<\/p>\n
\"Workers bringing money with them from Malaysia will be
\nencouraged and trained to become entrepreneurs in their home
\nvillages while those wishing to return to Malaysia will be
\nrequired to obtain the necessary documents,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The government has admitted it will be unable to provide jobs
\nfor the workers as the country has yet to fully recover from the
\neconomic crisis. The level of open unemployment at home has
\nreached almost 10 million.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ri-set-to-take-back-160000-illegal-workers-from-malaysia-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}