Malaysia is one of Asia's biggest employers of foreign labour. But recently, cases of deaths, abuse and forced labour have come to light. What is going on? Who is protecting these migrant workers?
The illegal immigrants did not hold work and stay permits for Malaysia and
before being deported home were also sentenced to jail and the cane by Malaysian
authorities.
<p>While the deportees lined up at the port and in front of the press and the
public, the head of the migrant workers task force Abdullah Alwi threatened
to hit a female migrant worker after she strayed from other deportees.</p>
<p>Alwi eventually shouted obscenities at Nur before she was immediately shoved
by two officers back into line.</p>
<p>This treatment of deportees by authorities is allegedly commonplace in Tanjung
Pinang.</p>
<p>They are reportedly subjected to reprimands and even physical abuse.</p>
<p>Based on data at the Tanjung Pinang immigration office, between January and
June this year Malaysia deported 14,794 illegal Indonesian migrants, each of
whom arrived in Tanjung Pinang after deportation.</p>
<p>Prior to deportation these immigrants received prison sentences and caning
in Malaysia.</p>
<p>Deported migrant workers are usually held in temporary shelters in Indonesia
before they are returned to their respective hometowns.</p>
<p>A pregnant migrant worker from Jember, East Java, Siti Fatimah, 32, was separated
from her husband who was deported after serving a prison sentence at the Kajang
prison in Malaysia.</p>
<p>"I also didn’t have a stay permit when I followed my husband to Malaysia
to work in the construction sector, so we were arrested," Siti said.</p>
<p>Deportees have complained of improper treatment from authorities at home, despite
enduring similar treatment from the Malaysian police.</p>
<p>"I’m surprised our authorities are even meaner than those in Malaysia,"
deportee Sugiono said.</p>
<p>"Why can’t we be treated better — there’s no need to shout at us."</p>
<p>Abusive behavior by authorities at the port is allegedly a common sight every
Thursday and Friday.</p>
<p>Authorities force migrant workers to queue and order them to squat down until
buses come to bring them to their temporary shelter.</p>
<p>These actions allegedly occur in front of other visitors at the port, especially
Singaporeans.</p>
<p>Officers from the local manpower office dragged away Sumardi, 45, who is from
Jombang, East Java, for conveying his grievance to the media because authorities
prohibit migrant workers from speaking to the media when they are still in the
port.</p>
<p>Nur, Siti Fatimah and Sumardi were among 377 illegal migrant workers deported
by Malaysian authorities.</p>
<p>They had been deported by the Marina Master ferry from Malaysia and had arrived
at the Sri Bintan Pura Port on June 22.</p>
<p>Deportees at the temporary shelter in Tanjung Pinang told The Jakarta Post
a number of illegal employment agents were always present there to offer a return
to work in Malaysia.</p>
<p>They said Indonesian authorities would usually turn a blind eye on the situation.</p>
<p>Dishonest officers allegedly sell back to the employment agencies deportees
who wish return to Malaysia.</p>
<p>This would often occur at border areas including Batam, Tanjung Pinang and
Tanjung Balai Karimun, they said.</p>
<p>Up to Rp 500,000 (approximately US$55) was allegedly paid to police officers
if they could provide the agencies with a migrant worker.</p>
<p>Tanjung Pinang Manpower Office head Ali Hisab said his office had taken stern
measures against deportees.</p>
<p>"We must be strict with them or else they would run away as they please
and (then we receive) reports saying we resell them to employment agencies,
which is totally untrue," said Ali.</p>
<p>Deportees usually use fake passports and documents provided by corrupt officers
and illegal employment agencies which thrive in border areas including Batam
and Tanjung Pinang.</p>
<p>Tanjung Pinang has been declared as the entry point for deported migrant workers
since 2004, but to-date there has been no decrease in deportee numbers.</p>
<p><i>Souce: http://www.thejakartapost.com/Archives/ArchivesDet2.asp?FileID=20070626.G01</i>
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