Combating Illegal Sending of Migrant Workers Through Malacca Strait

The illegal sending of migrant workers to Malaysia by sea through the Malacca Strait continues. The law should be strictly enforced to stop human trafficking syndicates.

PANDU WIYOGA

The traditional port activity behind the PT Pandan Bahari shipyard, Tanjung Uncang Village, Batu Aji District, Batam, Riau Islands, Saturday (22/1/2022).

JAKARTA, KOMPAS: Five consecutive ship accidents in the waters around the Malacca Strait that killed dozens of undocumented Indonesian migrant workers should be used as an entry point to take firm action against human trafficking syndicates, including the involvement of unscrupulous security forces and government officials.

The head of the Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection Agency (BP2MI), Benny Rhamdan, said in Jakarta on Sunday (1/23/2022) that the ship accidents revealed the long-standing suspicion that the illegal sending of migrant workers overseas was backed by security forces and government officials so they could operate freely.

"These [syndicates] are small in number, but they have money and tend to get protection from certain law enforcement officers and government officials," said Benny.

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At least 37 prospective Indonesian migrant workers were killed in five ship accidents that occurred in the Malacca Strait in December 2021 and January. They crossed into Malaysia by sea using the services of human trafficking syndicates.

In this regard, the director general of manpower placement and employment opportunity expansion at the Manpower Ministry, Suhartono, said his office would work with the Foreign Ministry, the National Police and the Law and Human Rights Ministry to prevent and cope with the sending of undocumented migrant workers overseas.

KOMPAS/PANDU WIYOGA

Customs and Excise officers' boats as well as Marine and Coastal Guard boats ambushed migrant worker smugglers' boats during a simulation held in Batam waters, Riau Islands, Wednesday (19/1/2022).

More intense

The Manpower Ministry has established a task force for the protection of Indonesian migrant workers that periodically conducts sidak (surprise inspection) to prevent the illegal sending of migrant workers. The task force has intensified its inspections following a series of ship accidents that claimed the lives of 37 prospective migrant workers.

"If there is involvement of migrant workers placement companies, we as the supervisor of Indonesian migrant workers placement companies [P3MI] will not hesitate to enforce the law. Those involved can receive administrative sanctions or even lose their business license," Suhartono said.

On 15 Dec. 2021, a ship carrying 64 undocumented migrant workers from Indonesia sank in the waters off Tanjung Balau, Johor, Malaysia. A total of 22 migrant workers were killed and 29 others were missing. Six days later, a ship carrying 50 undocumented migrant workers sank in the waters between North Sumatra and Peninsular Malaysia. At least 16 of the undocumented migrant workers were also missing.

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Then, on 14 Jan. 2022, four people died after a boat carrying 21 undocumented migrant workers sank in the waters between Riau and Malaysia. Three days later, a boat carrying 13 migrant workers sank in the waters off Pontian, Johor. Seven people survived but six others were killed. In the latest incident, which occurred on 20 Jan. 2022, a boat carrying 27 migrant workers sank in Teluk Ramunia, Johor. In the accident, five people were killed and three others went missing.

The illegal sending of migrant workers from the east coast of North Sumatra, particularly from the districts of Batu Bara, Asahan and Tanjungbalai city, has been on the rise during the Covid-19 pandemic.

"The east coast of North Sumatra has become a place for the illegal sending of migrant workers during the Covid-19 pandemic, not only from North Sumatra but also from various regions in Indonesia," said Siti Rolijah, the head of the BP2MI technical implementation unit in North Sumatra.

Malaysian Connection

Siti said there was a network that recruited and prepared migrant workers from various regions in Indonesia. The network work with certain groups in Malaysia that handle illegal job placements.

The director for general crime investigation of the North Sumatran Police, Sr. Comr. Tatan Dirsan Atmaja, said local investigators had discovered an illegal shipping syndicate following the sinking of a boat that carried migrant workers from Batu Bara. Eight people believed to be involved in the illegal sending of migrant workers were arrested and four others are still at large.

“This syndicate works very neatly. The network operates in the country and in Malaysia," said Tatan.

NIKSON SINAGA

Director of General Crimes at the North Sumatra Police, Sr. Comr. Tatan Dirsan Atmaja, shows the suspects and evidence of trafficking in persons against Indonesian migrant workers, in Medan, Thursday (13/1/2022).

The number of people seeking work overseas — especially in Malaysia — has continued to increase due to economic pressures and the lack of job opportunities in their home towns .

It continues even though the Indonesian government decided to temporarily stop the placement of Indonesian workers in Malaysia until the two countries reached an agreement on the protection of migrant workers.

The director for the protection for Indonesian citizens at the Foreign Ministry, Judha Nugraha, said Malaysia's immigration regulation did not only impose sanctions against undocumented migrant workers but also against recruiters of migrant workers who did not comply with government procedures.

So far, the sending of illegal migrant workers has persisted not only because of economic pressures and limited employment opportunities in the country, but also because some people in the neighboring country also accept their presence

As a result, the number of illegal migrant workers being deported from Malaysia to Indonesia also continues to rise. According to data from the technical implementation department of the BP2MI office in West Nusa Tenggara, the number of undocumented migrants workers who were sent home reached 11,974 people in 2021, a sharp increase from 4,379 people in 2020.

Angga Sariman, the head of Dasan Borok village, Suralaga district, East Lombok regency, said the village office regularly educated the public about complying with official procedures.

However, many people still violate these procedures, including the victims who died in the ship accident in the waters of Johor. (AGE/NSA/ZAK/WER/NDU/RAZ)

This article was translated by Hendarsyah Tarmizi.