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.