RI workers say M'sia not so bad

Apriadi Gunawan and Fadli, The Jakarta Post, Medan/Batam

Sofyan, 32, an Indonesian migrant worker was relaxed as he stepped down the ladder of the ferry that brought him home from Malaysia. Hailing from Binjai regency in North Sumatra, Sofyan was only one of many Indonesians being transported home on the ferry. They were some of the thousands of Indonesian migrant workers returning home on Monday after the Malaysian government offered an amnesty to illegals ahead of the Idul Fitri holiday.

Suddenly, Sofyan saw his family waiting for him. His face immediately brightened up and a big smile spread across his face. He rushed over to them and hugged them tightly one by one.

"Thank God, I am home. Had the Malaysian government not given me an amnesty, I would not be here now," he said.

Sofyan acknowledged that he had been working in Malaysia illegally. He had entered Malaysia as a tourist, and as a result was constantly haunted by fear and insecurity while working as a construction worker in the neighboring country. The police have been regularly conducting raids since Malaysia introduced a tough new immigration act targeting illegal workers two years ago.

Sofyan was paid 50 ringgit (US$13.15) a day, which is far more than he could ever hope to receive for similar work in Indonesia.

"It's better to work in Malaysia. The risk of being thrown into jail and caned is big, but the wages are much bigger," he said.

Sofyan said he would return to Malaysia after the Idul Fitri holiday on Nov. 14. "But, this time I will have the necessary documents," he said.

His caution is understandable as the Malaysian government has warned it will conduct major raids after the amnesty ends on Nov. 14. It has said that illegals caught after the amnesty ends will be fined and caned, and then deported.

Unlike Sofyan, another migrant worker, Muhammad Arifin, had different story. Arifin, 33, said he had gone to Malaysia a year ago as a legal migrant worker. He had obtained work in an oil palm plantation but was badly paid. After three months, he decided to take a job with a construction company. He lost his work permit as a result, but says he had no choice.

Then, his life took a turn for the worse. As an illegal worker, he was now beyond the pale and could be arrested at any time by the Malaysian police. The police raided work places and boarding houses three times a week searching for illegal workers.

Arifin said that apparently his company had an informant in the Malaysian police so that he and his friends were always able to avoid arrest. Before a raid was held, they always got a tip- off and could hide out in the forest until the next morning.

"Enough is enough, however. I could have been jailed for six months or caned if I was arrested. The 30 ringgit was not worth the punishment that I would have received," he said, adding that he would never return to Malaysia.