The plight of illegal workers

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