Cool response by RI migrants as KL amnesty period begins
Cool response by RI migrants as KL amnesty period begins
Agencies, Kuala Lumpur
Indonesian illegal immigrants in Malaysia appeared cool to an
amnesty program which began on Friday despite threats of jail and
whipping if they do not leave, senior officials said.
The Malaysian government hopes some 160,000 Indonesians
working illegally in the country will head home during the 17-day
amnesty program to mark the Muslim holy month of Ramadhan.
If they do not, they face jail sentences of up to five years
or fines of up to 10,000 ringgit (US$2,632), or both, plus
whipping. Thousands of illegal immigrants have reportedly been
whipped in Malaysian prisons since harsh new laws were introduced
two years ago.
"There was not much response early today (Friday), the
Selangor state immigration director, Che Mamat Abdullah, told
AFP.
In southern Johor state, the three ports of Stulang Laut,
Pasir Gudang and Kukup were also quiet, officials said.
"The departure of illegals is not so encouraging. So far only
800 people have left," Mohamad Nasir Osman, acting Johor
immigration director told AFP.
A boatload of Indonesian illegal immigrants, many bitter and
disillusioned, was seen leaving Malaysia for their homeland on
Friday, marking the start of an expected exodus over the next
three weeks.
A ferry set off across the narrow strait separating the two
countries with the first group of 121 men, women and children to
take advantage of Malaysia's offer to leave the country now,
without punishment, or face a crackdown later.
A mother wept for the husband and children she said she was
leaving behind while dozens of men, who had sneaked into Malaysia
in search of a job, gladly turned their backs on the country and
spoke of harsh working conditions they had endured.
"I will not return. The working conditions were terrible and
I'm afraid of being whipped if I am caught," said Afsoni,
21-year-old from the Indonesian island of Sumatra.
He said he worked in a restaurant in the Malaysian capital,
earning 30 Malaysian ringgit ($7.90) a day and being allowed to
sleep for just four hours a night.
Under Malaysian law, illegal immigrants can be fined before
being deported. Men younger than 50 may also be whipped.
Malaysia has offered an amnesty over the next 17 days to allow
illegal immigrants, most from Indonesia, to return home
voluntarily in an effort to rid the country of an estimated 1.2
million illegal workers. A further 1.2 million foreign workers
are legal.
It expects 340,000 people, or 20,000 a day, to leave during
the amnesty through 24 exit points by air, land or sea. Many
illegal migrants also come from the Philippines, South Asia and
China.
A crackdown is planned after the amnesty and those caught will
be punished and deported, starting in January.
The undocumented flow of Indonesians into Malaysia is arguably
the second largest flow of illegal immigrants in the world after
the movements across the U.S.-Mexico border, a Singapore
university said in a study.
But the response to Malaysia's latest amnesty, which followed
one in 2002, has shown that the dream of a better life has
shattered into bitter reality for many illegal immigrants.
"There are no jobs here. Thank God they have this amnesty,"
said another Sumatran, Ali Mohamad, 30. He said he had worked for
seven months on construction sites in Malaysia.
Illegal immigrants had fingerprints taken before boarding the
ferry at a tent set up on the quayside by immigration staff.
Security was light and there were no incidents.
Travel agents said flights to Indonesia's Surabaya and India
and Bangladesh were heavily booked until at least Nov. 20.
"Everybody just wants to get out," said one travel agent.
"Some are even willing to pay a premium."
The immigration chiefs said they expected the volume of
departures to pick up in the next few days and cautioned the
migrants not to leave at the last minute.