Indonesian illegals in Malaysia told to leave

Indonesian illegals in Malaysia told to leave

Agence France-Presse, Kuala Lumpur

The Indonesian embassy here on Tuesday appealed to all its citizens living in Malaysia illegally to return home before an amnesty period ends in two weeks.

Ambassador Hadi Wayarabi Alhadar said only 216,000 Indonesians have responded to the Malaysian amnesty, which runs from March 21 to July 31 to allow illegals to leave the country without being prosecuted.

An additional 40,000 Indonesian workers had been deported in the first six months of the year, he told reporters.

"(The amnesty) will not be extended any more, so I appeal to all the Indonesian illegal workers... return immediately before the amnesty period ends," he said.

Hadi Wayarabi said the amnesty has been "very helpful for them to return home in an orderly manner and without fear of being arrested."

He said the Indonesian government was exploring plans to increase flights at possibly subsidized rates to let the migrants leave faster than the traditional ferry route.

"We will try to provide as many as possible modes of transportation back, either through flights or increasing the ferry services."

The embassy has posted a huge banner at its compound in Kuala Lumpur, reading: "To illegal Indonesian workers in Malaysia, return home before the end of the amnesty period."

Malaysia, which is home to some 750,000 legal foreign workers, granted a similar amnesty in 1998.

The immigration department said on Tuesday it expected another 200,000 illegal immigrants to respond to the amnesty before it expires.

Out of 187,340 who had left under the program, Indonesians accounted for 80 percent of the total, followed by Indians and Bangladeshis, director Mohamed Jamal Kamdi was quoted by Bernama news agency as saying.

Hadi Wayarabi warned that those who failed to return home would face strict punishment under new Malaysian immigration laws to be introduced after the amnesty ends.

Under the new laws effective next month, anyone found guilty of illegal entry or harboring illegal immigrants would face a mandatory six months in jail and/or up to six strokes of the cane.

Currently, offenders face up to five years' jail or a fine of not more than 10,000 ringgit (US$2,632), but courts mostly impose fines.

The government, which has said it aims to deport about 10,000 Indonesian illegals every month, in January launched an offensive against the immigrants with almost daily arrests.

Malaysia's increasing intolerance of illegal workers was also turned against legal immigrants from Indonesia after two riots in January by textile and construction workers.

The government announced that Indonesians would be hired in future only as domestic helpers and plantation workers.