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.