Six RI workers receive double punishment

JAKARTA (JP): Six Indonesian men, who were deported from Malaysia several months ago but returned illegally, were the first batch to receive double punishment under Malaysia's new judicial system.

They were sentenced to 40 months jail, and two strokes of the cane on their backs, Antara reported Saturday.

The six men brought before the Pinang Island Court Friday were Trisno Ratmo, 35, Lamudin Lakabai, 30, Teodoros Tribabo, 25, La Mentik Landaha, 24, Rustam Rahukun, 24, and Anthody Kasparov, 23.

They were caught entering Malaysia through Pinang Island several weeks ago.

The men were part of group of 45 Indonesians caught at the same time by Malaysian security personnel. They were traveling from North Sumatra to Pinang Island on a motorboat.

Other illegal Indonesian immigrants, 30 men and nine women, were given more lenient sentences and will be deported after serving their time at the local immigration jail.

The Pinang Island High Court also tried a Malaysian, Rusdi bin Ako, 40, for bringing the 45 illegal immigrants into Malaysia.

If found guilty he faces four years jail and a US$2,500 fine.

The newsagency quoted several reliable sources in Malaysia as saying that at least 4,000 Indonesians were in Malaysian immigration jails awaiting deportation.

The illegal Indonesian immigrants have been rounded up by Malaysian police since mid-June.

More than 300,000 Indonesians work, legally and otherwise, in Malaysia's plantation and construction sectors.

Indonesia and Malaysia agreed late last year that Malaysia would deport illegal Indonesian workers to their hometowns, rather than to nearby Pekanbaru in Riau province. Most of the workers are from East Java and East Nusa Tenggara.

The government expects 2.5 million Indonesians to be employed overseas by 2000, and hopes they will generate US$12.5 billion in foreign exchange earnings and reduce unemployment in Indonesia. (swe)