KL, Jakarta hold talks on immigrants

KL, Jakarta hold talks on immigrants

KUALA LUMPUR (Agencies): Malaysia's Prime Minister Mahathir
Mohamad met yesterday with Indonesian Vice President B.J. Habibie
for talks focusing on the problem of illegal Indonesian
immigrants, an official said.

"Three major issues discussed were: the Indonesian illegals in
Malaysia, the Asian economic crisis and the upcoming Asia-Europe
Meeting (ASEM) in London," the Malaysian official said.

Habibie arrived in Malaysia Saturday for a stop over en route
to the Asia-Europe summit this week.

Airport officials said Habibie left the country at 1.50 p.m.

At the end of the hour long meeting at Mahathir's official
residence "Sri Perdana," here, Mahathir confirmed the
repatriation of the Indonesians would continue since Jakarta had
already consented to it.

"We have got Indonesia's consent to deport the illegal
immigrants," Mahathir said on national television.

Earlier on Saturday Malaysian authorities deported more than
1,000 illegal Indonesian immigrants.

A police official said 1,133 immigrants were shipped home on
two ships which sailed from Klang port, about 50 kilometers from
Kuala Lumpur, at around 3:30 p.m.

The official said the 1,133 immigrants deported comprised of
995 inmates, including 30 women, from Machap Umbo detention camp
in southwest Malacca state and 138 from Lenggeng camp in nearby
Negeri Sembilan state.

He said one ship ferried 600 immigrants with the remaining 533
on board the second vessel. It was unclear if they were navy or
commercial vessels.

The operation had gone very smoothly, he added.

Habibie said upon arrival here on Saturday Jakarta would share
equally Kuala Lumpur's costs of repatriating the immigrants.

"Given the good understanding between Indonesia and Malaysia,
obviously the costs would have to be split 50-50," Habibie added.

"I feel this issue can be handled well. Indonesia will
cooperate with Malaysian authorities on this matter," he said.

"Although they are illegal immigrants, they have helped to
contribute to the development of the Malaysian economy," Habibie
told reporters.

On Thursday, riots broke out in four Malaysian camps as
Indonesian illegal immigrants resisted attempts at repatriation,
leaving nine dead including a policeman.

Mahathir said he was saddened by the rioting, which has
focused international attention on the migrant situation.

Malaysian officials have put the number of Indonesian illegals
detained in Malaysia's eight camps at 10,000.

Authorities estimate that some 800,000 out of two million
foreign workers are illegal immigrants.

Malaysia will resume deportation of illegal Indonesian
immigrants on Monday, pressing ahead with plans to repatriate
thousands to a country battling its worst economic crisis in
decades.

Immigration officials said the current deportation exercise
would continue until Wednesday, but gave no further details.

"Operations will resume on Monday," said an official at Port
Klang, the main port of Malaysia which has also been hit hard by
Asia's financial crisis.

Deputy Home Minister Tajol Rosli Ghazali said 6,800 Indonesian
illegal immigrants had been deported from January to March 18.

"The target was 10,000, which can be achieved by the
Immigration department by the end of this month," he was quoted
as saying by the Sunday Star newspaper.

Steven Ong, owner of Doyan Shipping and Forwarding, said the
authorities have hired one of his boats to carry 110 Indonesian
migrants on Monday.

Arrival -- Page 2