Reality bites for deported RI workers
Reality bites for deported RI workers
Rusman, The Jakarta Post/Samarinda
Since his first night in the shelter for deported workers in
Lingkas Ujung sports complex in Tarakan, East Kalimantan, two
weeks ago, Aswin has thought of nothing but Malaysia.
The 35-year-old man from Bandung, West Java, said he felt like
he had been neglected by his own country, after being deported
for failing to present the proper immigration documents.
"We're cooped up here like chickens. On rainy days we have to
compete for a dry spot. The air is damp, it smells and it's hot,"
the father of two said.
For him, being back in Indonesia is not as sweet as he
imagined it would be when he was working at a palm oil plantation
in Asping in Sabah, Malaysia.
As around a thousand workers are crammed into the dimly lit
shelter, sleeping space is limited and the workers' children
huddle together at night on plastic mats. There are no health
facilities in the vicinity.
"Conditions are poor. When it's raining, the roof leaks and,
when it stops, we have to start cleaning up. We're worried about
the children," said Aswin.
Tarakan, located in the northern part of East Kalimantan, has
become the entry point for deported workers, although the city is
far from Malaysia, compared to another shelter in Nunukan.
To travel from Tawao port in Malaysia to Nanukan takes two
hours, while from Tawao port to Tarakan is a five-hour journey.
Also, the Nunukan shelters are able to accommodate some 10,000
workers.
Around 700,000 Indonesians were working illegally in Malaysia,
but around half of them returned to Indonesia voluntarily after
Malaysia introduced a tough immigration law two years ago --
threatening illegal workers with up to five years' imprisonment
or a fine of up to US$2,632, plus a caning.
Aswin, who is staying in the shelter while his immigration
documents are completed, would rather go back to Malaysia to work
than explore employment opportunities in his own country.
"I'll definitely go back," Aswin said.
He said that not all Malaysian companies treated Indonesian
workers badly and there were companies that cared about their
workers -- from their meals to their salaries.
"Every month, I can bring home 280 ringgit (Rp 672,000). We're
also given decent food. Our salary was cut by 20 ringgit a month
to take care of immigration paperwork. So every worker received
260 ringgit, enough to take care of our families back home,"
Aswin said.
Meanwhile, another worker, Christian, feels grateful to be
staying in Mambunut shelter, Nunukan, East Kalimantan.
The 22-year-old man from Flores, East Nusa Tenggara, shares
facilities with 26 other families, a better situation than
Aswin's.
"Here, our food is really good. We have a different menu every
day. We don't have to squeeze in to sleep and health facilities
are provided by the Nunukan administration," he said.
Still, he never imagined he would suffer after working abroad.
He had thought that by working in Malaysia, he would be able to
improve his family's economic status.
Christian, with seven colleagues from his hometown, left his
company after working for a year and two months.
"We were promised 25 ringgit a day, but never received it. We
just had to take our boss' word for it that the money was given
to the manpower company," he said.
Christian plans to return to his hometown but has to wait
until transportation out of Kalimantan is provided by the
government.