Artist shuns Malaysia over labor issue

Artist shuns Malaysia over labor issue

PEKANBARU, Riau: In a protest against Malaysia's handling of illegal workers, most of whom are Indonesians, a noted local artist Idrus Tintin said he would not accept an invitation for a function at the Malaysian consulate here later this month.

Idrus was invited to attend the function to celebrate Malaysia's Independence Day on Aug. 31, but said he would not accept it.

"It's a show of my concern over the fate of Indonesian workers expelled or caned by Malaysia," he said in the Riau capital of Pekanbaru on Monday.

Idrus said he was previously a loyal sympathizer with Malaysia as a neighboring Malay state for its success in improving its people's welfare.

But now he feels extremely disappointed after Malaysia became irate with Indonesian workers, both legal and illegal, after intense rioting earlier this year, and decided to impose a harsh law to evict most of them.

Idrus condemned the punishment of caning as "inhuman", while criticizing Kuala Lumpur for failing to take stern action against Malaysian brokers who, he alleged, recruited the illegal workers. --Antara