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.