Migrant workers flee to Nunukan
Migrant workers flee to Nunukan
Rusman, The Jakarta Post/Nunukan
Fearing a crackdown by the Malaysian government, Indonesians working in Malaysia, both legally and illegally, have descended on Nunukan regency, East Kalimantan province, to obtain or extend immigration documents.
The number of Indonesian migrant workers arriving in the regency has reached 75 to 100 per day. The workers are returning to Indonesian soil to arrange their immigration and employment documents, before returning to Malaysia once the documents are completed.
The migrant workers are heading to Nunukan ahead of the planned deportation of illegal workers by the Malaysian government, slated for between November and December this year.
Suyanto, a migrant worker from East Java province, told The Jakarta Post at the Tunon Taka Port he came to Nunukan to extend his immigration documents, although the documents were only set to expire in two months.
He said he rushed to Nunukan after being warned he would be deported if he failed to extend his immigration documents immediately.
Suyanto said he was much more fortunate than other Indonesians working in Malaysia.
He said he saw illegal and legal workers being chased, intimidated and beaten by the Malaysian authorities, and told to leave the country immediately.
"We were often intimidated when we were questioned by local police. They said we would receive harsh punishments if we did not leave Malaysia immediately," said Mahdi, an illegal migrant worker.
Kasmir Foret, an aid worker in Nunukan, said legal migrant workers had no trouble arranging their immigration documents in Nunukan, as they received assistance from their recruitment agencies.
The pressing problem concerns the illegal migrant workers, he said. Illegal migrants who fail to secure immigration documents should be sent to Pare-Pare in South Sulawesi before being returned to their hometowns, but most refuse this government initiative.
They insist on remaining in Nunukan, hoping to get their immigration documents processed so they can return to Malaysia, he said.
Malaysia's Deputy Home Minister Tan Chai Ho has estimated that there are 1.2 million illegal workers in the country, with about 700,000 of them believed to be Indonesians.
A total of 111,893 illegal immigrants were arrested in Malaysia last year -- 56 percent of them Indonesian -- and in the first eight months of this year, 67,756 illegal workers were detained, Tan Chai Ho said as quoted by DPA news agency.
Under tough laws introduced by Malaysia two years ago, illegal migrants face fines of up to 10,000 ringgit (US$2,630) per offense, a jail term of up to five years, or both. They are also subject to caning.