Bodies Of 4 NTB Citizens Who Died In Malaysian Waters Managed By KJRI Johor Bahru

MATARAM - The Technical Implementation Unit of the Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection Agency (UPT BP2MI) West Nusa Tenggara said the bodies of four NTB residents who were found dead in Malaysian waters had been taken care of by the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia (KJRI) Johor Bahru.

"The government has handled the bodies of four Indonesian migrant workers (PMI) from Lombok who were found dead in Malaysian waters," said Head of UPT BP2MI NTB Abri Danar Prabawa, in Mataram, quoted by Antara, Tuesday, December 7.

He said the Indonesian government through the Indonesian Consulate General in Johor Bahru received information from local authorities that four bodies had been found stranded in the waters east of the peninsula around Mersing and Tanjung Bedil, Johor, Malaysia, on Saturday, December 4.

Local security officers arrested two Indonesian citizens (WNI) who were in the vicinity of the incident.

All Indonesian citizens who died and survived were suspected of trying to enter Malaysia illegally.

"Currently, the four bodies are in the hospital for follow-up processes, while the two surviving Indonesian citizens have been secured in the Setia Tropics Immigration Detention Center, Johor," he said.

Abri Danar said that based on the results of identification from the police and post-mortem actions, as well as the results of the coordination between the Indonesian Consulate General and the NTB Manpower and Transmigration Service (Disnakertrans), the three bodies came from Central Lombok Regency.

The three bodies were identified as Basarudin, Muna'am, and Rahman.

One body is still being identified because its physical condition has been damaged and no other documents or identities have been found.

"While the two Indonesian citizens who survived were named Zulkifli from East Lombok Regency, and Rasito from Kebumen," he also said.

According to information from the Indonesian citizens who survived, he said, the ship bound for Malaysia was full of passengers, and after reaching about 500 meters from the shoreline, the passengers were forced to jump into the sea to swim to the beach.

This condition causes passengers' belongings such as wallets, passports, cell phones and so on to be lost.

Furthermore, the local authorities will examine the two surviving Indonesian citizens and continue the court process before being deported to Indonesia.

Abri Danar added that regarding the identification results of one body whose identity has not been revealed and further handling of the bodies will be informed at the first opportunity.

"We will continue to coordinate with the Indonesian Consulate General in Johor Bahru, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, and the NTB Manpower and Transmigration Office in handling the issue of the PMI's corpse from Lombok," he said.