Malaysia to deport illegal workers

JAKARTA: Malaysia reiterated on Thursday that it would soon deport illegal Indonesian workers, despite pleas for a gradual deportation by Indonesia.

Malaysian Ambassador to Indonesia Dato' Mohammad Rastam Isa said here on Thursday that it was the immigration law of Malaysia that all illegal migrants should be deported.

"We are waiting for details from Malaysia, but the bottom line is, all illegal migrants must be deported," the ambassador said after a meeting with President Megawati Soekarnoputri.

He stressed that Malaysia had a very strict immigration law that also penalized Malaysians employing illegal migrant workers.

Reports said earlier that there were some 50,000 Indonesians working illegally in Malaysia.

Meanwhile, Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Jacob Nuwa Wea repeated Indonesia's request for a gradual deportation.

"We understand that it is their law and that we should abide by it. But please do it gradually, so we can handle the deportation," said Nuwa Wea. -- JP