Influx of illegals from Malaysia continues

Influx of illegals from Malaysia continues

Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The massive influx of illegal immigrants returning from Malaysia
continued on Thursday despite a decision by the neighboring
country's government to extend an amnesty.

Over 5,000 Indonesian workers arrived at Tanjung Priok port in
North Jakarta early on Thursday on board the passenger ship
Umsini sailing from Port Klang, Penang, and Johor Baru in
peninsular Malaysia. Upon disembarkation, most of them boarded
buses to Surabaya from where they were to proceed to their home
villages in East Java, and East and West Nusa Tenggara.

More than 500 workers who were heading for their home villages
in West Java, Banten and Lampung were greeted by a joint task
force of officials from the local manpower and transmigration
office, the immigration office, the transportation office and the
health office.

On Monday, another ship plying the same route also brought in
around 5,000 returnees, mostly from East Java and West Nusa
Tenggara.

Meanwhile, two ships anchored in Belawan seaport, North
Sumatra, on Thursday, bringing with them hundreds of workers from
Johor Baru. The returning workers were offered accommodation in
tents and dormitories before being transported back to their home
villages in West Sumatra and Aceh.

Elsewhere, thousands of illegal immigrants thronged three
ports in Nunukan, East Kalimantan, after making the long trip
from Sabah and Sarawak. Most of them claimed they had decided to
return to their home villages in East and West Nusa Tenggara and
South Sulawesi because of the "poor treatment" they faced during
their employment in the neighboring country.

According to the local immigration office in Nunukan, more
than 12,000 illegal immigrants had returned to Indonesia through
the province four days before the amnesty was extended for the
fourth time on Monday.

Petrus Kanisius, who chairs the local task force handling the
exodus from Malaysia, said on Thursday that the flow of workers
from East Malaysia back to Indonesia would continue over the
coming weeks as they would be seeking immigration documents that
would allow them to return to Malaysia.

"Many workers have said they want to go back to Malaysia after
obtaining the necessary documents, but many others have said they
were going home as they were not paid during their employment in
Malaysia," he said.

More than 56,000 illegal workers have returned through the
province since Malaysia offered an amnesty for the first time on
Sept. 29, 2004.

Petrus said his team had heard complaints from many workers
who said they would not return home to apply for documents as
they had not yet received their salaries.

"The Malaysian authorities should look into the complaints if
they want the workers to return home to obtain the proper
documentation. It is impossible for them to leave if their
salaries are withheld," he said.

Tati, 22, a worker from Central Java, said she felt depressed
upon arriving in Belawan on Wednesday. She said she had returned
home penniless as her employer in Komtar, Penang, had refused to
pay her salary for the 1.5 years she had worked for him as a
housemaid.

She fled her employer's house with the help of a woman who
bought her a boat ticket home.

Both Tati and Sumiati, another worker who told a similar
story, said they would not go back to Malaysia and instead would
return to their home villages in Central Java.

The government is determined to bring the remaining 400,000
illegal immigrants home during the amnesty's two-month extension
to avoid arrests during a planned large-scale crackdown on
illegal immigrants in Malaysia.

Meanwhile, a coordinating meeting among the relevant
Indonesian ministries concerned with the expulsion of the illegal
immigrants from Malaysia was expected to continue on Friday.
Director General for Labor Exports at the Manpower and
Transmigration Ministry, I Gede Arke, said the meeting was being
held to arrange a "one-roof service" for illegal immigrants to
facilitate their legal return to Malaysia.
Editorial -- Page 6