Govt to pay for lawyers for workers in Malaysia

Berni K. Moestafa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Facing possible jail and caning, Indonesian workers caught in Malaysia without proper papers may now hope for a fair trial as the Indonesian government has set aside Rp 1 billion (about US$112,000) to hire Malaysian lawyers to represent them.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda said on Thursday that the trials of illegal workers in Malaysia were ongoing.

"The government has allocated Rp 1 billion to hire lawyers in Malaysia to help our citizens," Hassan told a media briefing after a Cabinet meeting.

While several workers have been sentenced to jail or caning, he said, "there has been no case yet of a caning being carried out."

According to him, several dozen Indonesian workers had been arrested so far. The number of illegal workers in Malaysia, however, could be as high as 178,000, he estimated.

Reports have surfaced of Malaysian employers preventing workers from leaving due to unfinished tasks or through fear that a mass departure would upset their business.

Many Indonesians work in the construction industry or on plantations, with others earning money as housemaids. The local authorities have now threatened employers with jail and caning as well.

Malaysia is expelling illegal Indonesian workers en masse following a string of clashes with the local police and a surge in crimes involving Indonesians.

Earlier this year, Malaysia cited an end of July deadline for illegal workers to leave the country or else face jail terms or caning. Workers holding return tickets have until the end of this month to come back.

Malaysia's tougher stance prompted thousands to head for the borders ahead of the deadline, and forced an unprepared Indonesia to scramble in preparing for their arrival.

In Nunukan, East Kalimantan, alone, the Indonesian Red Cross is expecting some 60,000 workers to come home over the next few days until August 31.

The expulsion of workers has also put bilateral relations under strain. People's Consultative Assembly Speaker (MPR) Amien Rais called the caning "inhumane" and an insult to Indonesians.

Visiting Indonesian Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra, however, played down the remarks. Indonesia, he said, respected Malaysia's sovereignty.