Indonesian embassy says ready to assist in deportation process

The Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur is closely monitoring the recent announcement that all undocumented migrants currently under Immigration Department detention will be deported after they have been tested negative for Covid-19.

While pledging cooperation with Malaysian authorities, embassy spokesperson Agung Cahya Sumira said deportation was a "complex process" which required coordination between authorities of both the receiving and sending countries.

"On this issue, we are monitoring the development of policies by the Malaysian government. We respect all rules and regulations that apply here," he told Malaysiakini when contacted.

Beyond facilitating documentation for all Indonesian migrants due to be deported, Agung said there were other issues which must also be resolved as part of the process.

Malaysia hosts close to 750,000 migrant labourers from Indonesia as of last year in both formal and informal sectors - the largest group among all sending countries.

Various groups have, however, estimated a much larger number of undocumented Indonesian workers despite repeated large-scale raids and amnesty exercises carried out by the Malaysian government.

In previous deportation cases, Agung said the embassy would be given consular access to verify an arrested individual's citizenship status as well as to identify their district of origin in Indonesia.

"The embassy also needs to coordinate with local authorities in Indonesia at the federal as well as district levels to anticipate their return and ensure adherence to health protocols," said Agung.

He was commenting on the proposed mass deportation plan announced by Malaysia as part of the country's effort to prevent a further outbreak of Covid-19 in immigration depots.

"This is why I said it is a complex issue," he said, stressing there was no question about Indonesia turning away its own citizens even as the country battled daily with the rising numbers of positive Covid-19 cases.

Meanwhile, sources at the High Commission of Bangladesh in Kuala Lumpur described the planned deportation as a "regular process" after the completion of a prison sentence.

"Both governments are working to solve the situation created by Covid-19 including treatment and deportation of our people. The high commission is always working with the government of Malaysia," said the source who declined to be named.

Defence Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob had earlier today reiterated that the government will now focus on deporting all undocumented migrants at immigration detention centres nationwide who have tested negative for Covid-19.

This came amid a series of outbreaks among migrant workers detained at depots in Bukit Jalil, Semenyih and Sepang, leading up to 172 new Covid-19 cases recorded yesterday, the highest number of new cases in almost three months. - Mkini