Rights body calls for tough action against KL employers

Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak and Edi Purwijayanta, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Nunukan

The National Commission on Human Rights stepped in on Tuesday to the row over the deportation of hundreds of thousands of illegal Indonesian workers from Malaysia, urging the government of the neighboring country to take action against its those of its citizens who had employed them.

In a media statement released on Tuesday, the commission said the Malaysian employers had not only taken advantage of the migrant workers, who were not protected by the law, but had also committed human rights violations for failing to pay them their wages until they were deported.

"Migrant workers are human beings who support not only their own families, but the whole economy of the country, particularly at a time of unabated crisis," the statement said.

The rights body asserted the migrant workers deserved protection and assistance from the government.

It regretted the lateness of moves by the central government to mitigate the workers' hardship following their massive exodus from Malaysia.

Thousands of migrant workers and their families remain stranded in the East Kalimantan town of Nunukan near the border with the Malaysian state of Sabah. An escalation of social and health problems has been the immediate result of their arrival.

At least 72 people, including infants, have died so far in the labor crisis according to non-governmental organizations. The government has recorded only about 36 fatalities.

Humanitarian aid continues to pour into Nunukan, as over 13,000 workers are waiting for legal documents required to reenter Malaysia.

Many private companies, media groups and non-governmental organizations have sent staple food, baby food, clothing and medicine via social workers, in addition to official government aid worth Rp 34 billion (US$3.8 million).

A group of 40 state enterprises donated on Tuesday Rp 42 billion to the workers. State Minister for State Enterprises Laksamana Sukardi, who witnessed the handover of assistance, said he would assess the possibility of opening up oil palm plantations in the border island in order to employ the deported workers.

But distribution of the aid was still being questioned as many of the migrant workers sheltering at the manpower supply companies (PJTKIs) still complained of inadequate meals and accommodation.

Although no fatalities were reported in the day, the number of migrant workers suffering respiratory problems, diarrhea and malnutrition has yet to lessen due to poor sanitation and a lack of clean water at the shelters.

Within two days of their arrival, a Navy warship, converted into a floating hospital, had to abort its operation because low tide did not allow it to drop anchor in Tukon Taka harbor. Instead, it unloaded supplies and equipment into the harbor's compound.

The 'field hospital' has began treating migrant workers as well as locals, as the sheer number of people now in the regency is beyond the capability of the only health center in the town.

The migrant workers sheltered in a field at Porsas, close to Nunukan airport, refused to be moved to the semipermanent barracks at Tanjung Mambunut camp site near the coast, which can only be reached after a 40-minute drive.

"The place is too remote from downtown, while transportation is difficult. We're afraid the process for getting our passports will be made more difficult as we often have to visit the downtown offices," one of the workers argued.

The latest information coming from the regency's task force estimated that a further massive influx of deported migrant workers was expected by this weekend, a few days before Malaysia enacted its new labor bill on Sept. 15.