KL ambivalent towards RI workers

KL ambivalent towards RI workers

Text and photos by Ridwan M. Sijabat

KUALA LUMPUR (JP): While Indonesian workers are welcome in Malaysia, they are also despised as well as chased after. They can also at times undermine relations between the two neighboring countries and spoil the "Malay brotherhood".

Officials from the two governments know only too well about the dilemma of Indonesian workers in Malaysia.

Malaysia has come to depend on Indonesian workers to help develop its booming economy. But the number of Indonesian workers has grown too big. Many are illegal aliens, whose various backgrounds have frequently resulted in various legal as well as social problems. On offshoot of this is a rising incidence of crimes committed by Indonesians.

Indonesian Minister of Manpower Abdul Latief visited Malaysia last month to iron out some of the problems, and to assure officials here that his government is equally serious in bringing the flow of Indonesian workers to Malaysia under control.

Attorney General Singgih also came at about the same time to discuss issues related to the presence of Indonesian workers.

Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim during the meeting with Latief said his government alone could not stem the flow of illegal Indonesian workers, and that such an effort was like "clapping with one hand".

Anwar said Indonesia must also do its share. "We need joint action to solve this chronic problem."

On the same occasion, Anwar stressed that Malaysia still needs Indonesian workers to meet the labor shortages that his country is experiencing, provided that they come legally.

According to the Indonesian embassy, there are some 600,000 Indonesian workers in Malaysia at present. But privately, embassy officials say that for every one legal migrant worker there is one Indonesian who is working illegally.

Malaysian Minister of Human Resources Lim Ah Lek said the two governments have agreed to review the issue of Indonesian workers every six months.

He said such meetings would help clear up misunderstandings as well as improve coordination on both sides of the border.

Lim also stressed that the illegal Indonesian workers, because of their status, are widely exposed to exploitation by their Malaysian employers. This, however, is difficult to prove.

Illegal workers do not enjoy the protection accorded to other workers under Malaysian labor laws.

Malaysian laws are strict when it comes to illegal employment. An employer faces a maximum of five years imprisonment, or a 50,000 ringgit fine for hiring an illegal alien. Under the immigration law, a foreigner working illegally in Malaysia faces a maximum six-month jail term, or a 10,000 ringgit fine.

Thousands of Indonesians are now being held in detention centers in Pontian, Johor, and Melaka for violating the immigration law. They will be deported after completing their sentences.

Malaysian Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Megat Juned Megat Ayub proposed a joint operation involving police and immigration officials from both countries to throttle the inflow of illegal Indonesian workers.

"Supervision and police operations along the border must be tightened," he said. "If the two countries can cooperate, the flow of illegal workers will certainly stop."

The smuggling of Indonesian workers into Malaysia has continued despite repeated crackdowns by the Malaysian police along its coast.

The Malaysian government was also given assurances by Singgih that Indonesia would prosecute its citizens that have been deported by Malaysia.

"The government is forced to take this step to curb the flow of illegal workers," he said, adding that these people would be prosecuted for violating Indonesia's immigration law.