RI hails Malaysia's amnesty offer for illegal workers

RI hails Malaysia's amnesty offer for illegal workers

Ridwan Max Sijabat and Ivy Susanti, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Indonesia has deemed the amnesty offered by the Malaysian
government to illegal migrants ahead of the Idul Fitri holiday a
good start to further enhancing bilateral relations between the
two countries.

Newly inaugurated Minister of Manpower and Transmigration
Fahmi Idris said on Thursday the two countries needed close
cooperation to handle the planned mass deportation of Indonesian
illegal migrant workers in January.

"We will continue to enhance cooperation and coordination in
order to reduce the negative impact of the mass deportation,"
Fahmi said after a transfer of duty from his predecessor Jacob
Nuwa Wea at the ministry.

The amnesty was offered by visiting Malaysian Prime Minister
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi at a meeting with President Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono on Wednesday.

An estimated 700,000 Indonesian migrants have been working
without the necessary documents. Malaysia has blamed the illegal
migrants for a hike in the country's crime rate.

The move has sparked criticism from labor activists and labor
exporters, who accused the Malaysian government of seeking
justification to expel the migrant workers since they are no
longer needed.

Most of the illegal workers have been employed on plantations
and construction projects and in electronics factories, but have
been denied access to health care and other facilities because of
their illegal status.

Following his meeting with President Susilo on Wednesday,
Badawi said the amnesty would be granted to illegal workers who
returned voluntarily to Indonesia ahead of Idul Fitri, which
falls on Nov. 15.

He said the migrant workers would not be allowed to reenter
Malaysia without the necessary documents.

"We called on illegal migrants to arrange their return
according to Malaysia's prevailing regulations. We will provide
them with transportation," Badawi said.

Under the tough Malaysian immigration act introduced two years
ago, illegal migrants are subject to 10,000 ringgit (US$2,632) in
fines per offense and/or a jail sentence of up to five years,
plus caning.

Badawi, however, did not say whether his government would
punish those who refused to return before Idul Fitri.

Malaysia agreed to delay the massive deportation until January
2005, due to the recent legislative and presidential elections in
Indonesia and Idul Fitri and Christmas holidays.

Indonesia has urged Malaysia to deport with caution the
illegal migrants to avoid human rights abuses, as happened in the
past.

More than 70 people died of starvation and various diseases
and hundreds of other were hospitalized when the Malaysian
government deported Indonesian illegal workers in 2002.

Fahmi said he would set up a special team to help Malaysia
handle the mass deportation so as not to affect ties between the
two countries.

He said the special team would coordinate with Malaysian
authorities and the Indonesian Embassy to ensure that the mass
deportation was conducted in a smooth and humane manner.

The Malaysian government has promised to provide pocket money
and sea transportation that will take the illegal migrants to
Indonesian seaports in Belawan (North Sumatra), Tanjung Pinang
(Riau), Tanjung Perak (East Java), Makassar in South Sulawesi,
Nunukan (East Kalimantan) and Entikong (West Kalimantan).

Indonesia has said that it would deploy several warships to
fetch the workers and transport them to seaports close to their
hometowns.