The plight of illegal workers

Referring to information about the return of illegal Indonesian women workers from Malaysia since Dec. 26, 1996, I am giving my comments, which are based on factual data concerning their situation.

1. Many overseas workers who returned under pressure and were left on their own, came in through Riau (Bagan Siapi-api, Dumai and Selat Panjang).

2. The workers were generally not in good health. They suffered a lot in Malaysian prisons.

3. Their condition is more aggravated with extortions made by officials (district military personnel, police, village development officer, and village chief). Extortions appear in the form of:

- Fees of Rp 100,000 to Rp 250,000 are levied from every worker upon reentering their own country.

- Thorough checks on workers and their belongings; money (the hapless workers tried in vain to conceal their money), must be handed over. The only way to save their money would be to swallow it.

- If a worker did escape the examination network, she could expect a house call from officials coming to collect any money that is stashed away. Some female villagers were even accused of having been abroad as workers. Officials have been known to frighten people by accusing them of entering Malaysia illegally.

Brokers of female Indonesian workers in Riau also frown upon this abuse of power. One of the important local figures was even prepared to hire an official from Jakarta to investigate the local government officials responsible for the violations.

Name and address

known to the editor