Indonesian illegals in Malaysia cause fear

Indonesian illegals in Malaysia cause fear

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Thousands of Indonesians, many working as
construction workers, have set up illegal settlements near
Malaysia's new federal capital, a report said Saturday.

The New Straits Times newspaper said the presence of about
6,000 Acehnese, Madurese and Javanese on private and government
land was causing safety and health fears to local residents.

There are 1,000 Malaysians in the Limau Manis village near the
new federal administrative capital of Putrajaya, south of Kuala
Lumpur.

The newspaper said authorities last year raided and demolished
the illegals' make-shift shelters made from wood and canvass but
it had proved futile.

Village head Mat Naim Awi, 48, said their concerns over the
illegals had been raised with the security forces and local
authorities.

"The authorities have on many occasions visited the colony on
fact-finding missions and have even demolished the illegal
houses. The problem, however, persists as the Indonesians keep
coming back.

"They will arrive all of a sudden late at night and can erect
a house within hours."

The newspaper said the problem began last year when landowners
decided to rent their land to Indonesians working at projects in
Putrajaya.

Ariffin Shamsuddin, village welfare and security committee
secretary, said the illegal settlement was also a hotbed for
crime, and clashes between the Acehnese and Madurese had
occurred.

"We are not so worried about the legal workers who are here to
earn a living. It is the illegal immigrants whom we know nothing
about that is causing us concern," he said.

Ariffin said petty thefts and stealing of motorcycles had also
occurred in the village recently.

In the most recent violent incident last week, hundreds of
Acehnese and Madurese clashed over a misunderstanding involving a
cellular telephone.

Police seized sharp weapons and molotov cocktails from the
rival gangs and arrested 107 Madurese and 23 Acehnese for not
possessing valid travel documents.

Police said they were keeping the area under close
surveillance following the bloody clash.

Malaysia's west coast is less than 25 kilometers (16 miles)
from the Indonesian island of Sumatra in some places. Many
Indonesians enter Malaysia illegally to escape the economic
hardship at home.