Labor activists protest Malaysia's strict policy

Labor activists protest Malaysia's strict policy

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Labor activists rallied on Wednesday in front of the Malaysian
Embassy on Jl. Rasuna Said in South Jakarta in protest of a
strict immigration law that will take effect in that country on
Aug. 1, and which will impact hundreds of thousands of
Indonesians working illegally in the country.

Carrying banners, dozens of demonstrators urged the Malaysian
government to treat the illegal workers fairly.

The banners read, "Malaysia is truly racist Asia", "Without
migrant workers, the Malaysia government will collapse" and "Who
do you think works on Malaysian plantations?"

The demonstrators came from several non-governmental
organizations, including the Indonesian Migrant Workers Defense
Consortium (Kopbumi), the National Network of Indonesian Migrant
Labor, the Indonesia Legal Aid Association for Women Empowerment
and Justice, and the Indonesia Legal Aid Foundation.

"It is not fair if the Malaysian government just blames the
workers. They must also take stern action against their law
enforcers and immigration officers, who are involved in the flow
of illegal workers to Malaysia. Otherwise, illegal workers will
continue to flood into Malaysia," said Budi Wibowo from Kopbumi.

According to Budi, smuggling syndicates in Indonesia and
Malaysia were responsible for the presence of illegal workers in
Malaysia.

"Without the involvement of Malaysian law enforcers, it would
be impossible for the illegal workers to sneak into the country,"
he said.

The demonstrators also called on Indonesia to fight for the
protection of the workers.

"The government should not just keep silent, as the country
has enjoyed money the workers sent home," shouted one protester.

The protesters demanded the government provide health care,
logistical support and legal services for those migrant workers
deported by Malaysia.

Since March, Malaysia, home to two million foreign workers,
had deported about half of an estimated 600,000 illegal workers
in the country.

Under the new law that takes effect on Aug. 1, however,
Malaysia has extended the repatriation period for illegal workers
until the end of August.

Under the new law, illegal immigrants and those convicted of
harboring illegal immigrants face a mandatory six months in jail
and up to six strokes of the cane.

Offenders are currently subject to a maximum jail term of five
years, but usually escape by paying fines of less than 10,000
ringgit (US$2,632).