50 People Including 4 Toddlers From Siri's Marriage Pair Pontianak-Sarawak Deported From Malaysia

JAKARTA - The Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia (KJRI) Kuching in Malaysia repatriated or repatriated four children under five years old (toddlers) as a result of the Indonesian-Malaysia pair's unregistered marriage.

Indonesian Consul General Raden Sigit Witjaksono said the female couple with the initials AF (29) from Pontianak, Indonesia and a man from Sarawak, Malaysia. His four children and his mother were deported through ICQS Tebedu, Sarawak PLBN Entikong, West Kalimantan (West Kalimantan).

"They were deported by the Malaysian Government from the Seigiresen Semuja Detention Center, Serian, Sarawak including 48 men and two women, including the mothers of the four toddlers who were repatriated," he said at the Entikong PLBN, Sanggau, Thursday, September 14, which was confiscated by Antara.

Sigit explained, of the four toddlers, one of them is a two-month-old girl. The child had just been born and was always together when AF was still a prisoner at the Puncak Borneo Kuching prison.

"Previously, AF's husband's family had also handed over the other three children to the Indonesian Consulate General in Kuching to be jointly repatriated to Indonesia when his mother was deported by the Sarawak Imigresen Position," he said.

Sigit said the couple had married in an unregistered marriage in 2016, but were not registered at the Sarawak State Registration Office (JPN). Therefore, children from their marriage are considered by children outside of marriage to follow their mother's citizenship.

"And, when her mother was deported, her children were also returned to Indonesia. The mother and children were repatriated by AF's husband and will be accompanied during their return trip to Pontianak, West Kalimantan," said Sigit.

According to the Indonesian Consul General Kuching, the number of Indonesian citizens / PMI-Problems from January 1, 2023 to September 14, 2023 who were deported by the Sarawak Government was 3151 people. Meanwhile, 138 people were repatriated by the Indonesian Consulate General in Kuching, bringing the total number of Indonesian citizens / PMI-Ber Problem who had returned to Indonesia from Sarawak, Malaysia to 3289 people.

"The deportation and repatriation assistance process went smoothly in good coordination between the Indonesian Consulate General in Kuching and the Malaysian Imigresen Sarawak and the Indonesian Citizen Repatriation Task Force/PMI-B Team at the Entikong PLBN, West Kalimantan. All Indonesian citizens/PMI-B were received by the Indonesian Citizens Repatriation Task Force Team at the Entikong PLBN, West Kalimantan and will be sent back to their respective areas of origin through the relevant agencies and local governments," said Sigit.