The endless plight of migrant workers

The Jakarta Post
National News - June 26, 2007

Tanjung Pinang — Hundreds of illegal Indonesian migrants deported from Malaysia for not holding the correct work permit were marched in line to the Sri Bintan Pura Port in Tanjung Pinang, Riau Islands province on the weekend.

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.

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.

Alwi eventually shouted obscenities at Nur before she was immediately shoved by two officers back into line.

This treatment of deportees by authorities is allegedly commonplace in Tanjung Pinang.

They are reportedly subjected to reprimands and even physical abuse.

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.

Prior to deportation these immigrants received prison sentences and caning in Malaysia.

Deported migrant workers are usually held in temporary shelters in Indonesia before they are returned to their respective hometowns.

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.

"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.

Deportees have complained of improper treatment from authorities at home, despite enduring similar treatment from the Malaysian police.

"I'm surprised our authorities are even meaner than those in Malaysia," deportee Sugiono said.

"Why can't we be treated better -- there's no need to shout at us."

Abusive behavior by authorities at the port is allegedly a common sight every Thursday and Friday.

Authorities force migrant workers to queue and order them to squat down until buses come to bring them to their temporary shelter.

These actions allegedly occur in front of other visitors at the port, especially Singaporeans.

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.

Nur, Siti Fatimah and Sumardi were among 377 illegal migrant workers deported by Malaysian authorities.

They had been deported by the Marina Master ferry from Malaysia and had arrived at the Sri Bintan Pura Port on June 22.

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.

They said Indonesian authorities would usually turn a blind eye on the situation.

Dishonest officers allegedly sell back to the employment agencies deportees who wish return to Malaysia.

This would often occur at border areas including Batam, Tanjung Pinang and Tanjung Balai Karimun, they said.

Up to Rp 500,000 (approximately US$55) was allegedly paid to police officers if they could provide the agencies with a migrant worker.

Tanjung Pinang Manpower Office head Ali Hisab said his office had taken stern measures against deportees.

"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.

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.

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.

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