RI workers say M'sia not so bad<\/p>\n
Apriadi Gunawan and Fadli, The Jakarta Post, Medan\/Batam<\/p>\n
Sofyan, 32, an Indonesian migrant worker was relaxed as he
\nstepped down the ladder of the ferry that brought him home from
\nMalaysia. Hailing from Binjai regency in North Sumatra, Sofyan
\nwas only one of many Indonesians being transported home on the
\nferry. They were some of the thousands of Indonesian migrant
\nworkers returning home on Monday after the Malaysian government
\noffered an amnesty to illegals ahead of the Idul Fitri holiday.<\/p>\n
Suddenly, Sofyan saw his family waiting for him. His face
\nimmediately brightened up and a big smile spread across his face.
\nHe rushed over to them and hugged them tightly one by one.<\/p>\n
\"Thank God, I am home. Had the Malaysian government not given
\nme an amnesty, I would not be here now,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Sofyan acknowledged that he had been working in Malaysia
\nillegally. He had entered Malaysia as a tourist, and as a result
\nwas constantly haunted by fear and insecurity while working as a
\nconstruction worker in the neighboring country. The police have
\nbeen regularly conducting raids since Malaysia introduced a tough
\nnew immigration act targeting illegal workers two years ago.<\/p>\n
Sofyan was paid 50 ringgit (US$13.15) a day, which is far more
\nthan he could ever hope to receive for similar work in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"It's better to work in Malaysia. The risk of being thrown
\ninto jail and caned is big, but the wages are much bigger,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Sofyan said he would return to Malaysia after the Idul Fitri
\nholiday on Nov. 14. \"But, this time I will have the necessary
\ndocuments,\" he said.<\/p>\n
His caution is understandable as the Malaysian government has
\nwarned it will conduct major raids after the amnesty ends on Nov.
\n14. It has said that illegals caught after the amnesty ends will
\nbe fined and caned, and then deported.<\/p>\n
Unlike Sofyan, another migrant worker, Muhammad Arifin, had
\ndifferent story. Arifin, 33, said he had gone to Malaysia a year
\nago as a legal migrant worker. He had obtained work in an oil
\npalm plantation but was badly paid. After three months, he
\ndecided to take a job with a construction company. He lost his
\nwork permit as a result, but says he had no choice.<\/p>\n
Then, his life took a turn for the worse. As an illegal
\nworker, he was now beyond the pale and could be arrested at any
\ntime by the Malaysian police. The police raided work places and
\nboarding houses three times a week searching for illegal workers.<\/p>\n
Arifin said that apparently his company had an informant in
\nthe Malaysian police so that he and his friends were always able
\nto avoid arrest. Before a raid was held, they always got a tip-
\noff and could hide out in the forest until the next morning.<\/p>\n
\"Enough is enough, however. I could have been jailed for six
\nmonths or caned if I was arrested. The 30 ringgit was not worth
\nthe punishment that I would have received,\" he said, adding that
\nhe would never return to Malaysia.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ri-workers-say-msia-not-so-bad-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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