1,700 more Indonesians deported

1,700 more Indonesians deported

JAKARTA: Malaysia will deport another 1,700 illegal migrants from Indonesia on Dec. 9, Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said in Kuala Lumpur on Monday.

Badawi said the move was taken to reduce the number of illegal migrants detained in prisons and quarantines.

Over the past few weeks, Malaysia has deported 11,325 illegal Indonesian workers in its latest crackdown on illegal migrants.

More than one million Indonesians reportedly work, legally or otherwise, in the more affluent Malaysia, mainly in the plantation and construction sectors.

Indonesia has readied two navy ships to fetch the migrants from the port of Pasir Gudang in Johor Baru, Malaysia, to transport them to Surabaya.

"This will be the ninth batch of deported Indonesians fetched by naval ships," Badawi said. --Antara