More migrant workers die in Nunukan camps

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

More illegal migrant workers fleeing Malaysia have died in squalid camps in Nunukan, East Kalimantan.

The Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) said on Wednesday that eight adult migrant workers and four children had died from hypertension, asthma, diarrhea, and fever.

"Many returning workers are suffering from stress and depression. It is also possible they will contract diseases because the camps do not have enough sanitation facilities and clean water," PMI said in a press statement.

Earlier, East Kalimantan administration said seven people, including three children, had died due to depression-related illnesses.

Leaders of the House of Representatives (DPR) expressed concerned on Tuesday over the government's underpar response to the plight of returning migrant workers.

PMI said the number of sick people visiting local health centers had increased by up to 200 percent, 75 percent of whom were said to have developed respiratory problems.

It added 23,081 people remain stranded at the camp.

PMI has given medical assistance worth Rp 50 million for 2,000 returning workers in Nunukan through PMI's Tarakan branch.

Hundreds of thousands of illegal workers are believed to have returned to Indonesia since Malaysia put into effect strict new immigration legislation on Aug. 1.

The government has allocated Rp 30 billion for workers returning from Malaysia.

In Jakarta, Minister for Manpower and Transmigration Jacob Nuwa Wea said on Wednesday he predicted Malaysia would soon experience severe labor shortages.

"I predict they will experience labor shortage problems now that they have evicted illegal workers from neighboring countries like Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand," he was quoted by Antara as saying.

Jacob was commenting on press reports that Malaysia was seriously considering lifting the ban on Indonesian workers, especially those who work in the building industry, on oil refineries and at plantations.

Meanwhile, head of East Java's Manpower office M. Djaelani said in Surabaya on Wednesday that his office was still trying to locate the whereabouts of 1,500 returning workers who were supposed to pass by Surabaya before returning to their respective homes.

"They come from East Java, Bali, West Nusa Tenggara, East Nusa Tenggara, South Kalimantan and Central Java. Most probably they are returning home using different boats," Djaelani said.