Johor state: Gateway for illegal labor

Johor state: Gateway for illegal labor

JOHOR BAHRU, Malaysia (JP): For most illegal Indonesian workers in Malaysia, their adventure begins right here on the southernmost tip of the Malaysian peninsula.

The Malaysian state of Johor can be easily reached from the eastern coast of Sumatra and the tiny islands in the Riau archipelago make ideal transit and stopping points. Johor is an ideal gateway for Indonesians intending to work in Malaysia.

Most come in motor boats to sail across the Straits of Malacca, a 15 minute journey. Some come posing as tourists, arriving on board the ferries that connect the industrial island of Batam to Johor's Pasir Gudang port.

Many Indonesians settle in Johor for the abundance of jobs, while others move upward to Kuala Lumpur and other regions in the peninsula.

Aziz bin Abdullah, 43, was recently spotted disembarking at Pasir Gudang with his wife and three children.

Aziz said he paid Rp 250,000 (US$113) for him and his family to be transported from Batu Ampar on Batam Island to Johor.

"I've been in Johor for eight years. I returned to my home village in Bawean, East Java, on the last Idul Adha holiday to fetch my families. We are planning to stay permanently in Johor," said Aziz, who works in a palm oil plantation in the federal state.

Aziz and his family now live in one of the sprawling Indonesian kampongs in Johor. In many cases these kampongs are built along ethnic lines, from Javanese, Madura, and Lombok to Acehnese, Bataks, Minangkabau and Bugis. (rms)