Prabowo Ensures 554 Indonesian Citizens Victims Of Online Scam Myanmar Widen In Hometown

JAKARTA - President Prabowo Subianto ensured that 554 Indonesian citizens (WNI) victims of online fraud or scams in Myawaddy, Myanmar, could celebrate Eid al-Fitr 2025 in the country.

"President Prabowo has expressed his hope that Eid al-Fitr is an opportunity to gather with family and enjoy togetherness," said spokesman for the Presidential Communication Office (PCO), Philips J. Vermonte in a statement, Wednesday, March 19, quoted by Antara.

He said the process of repatriating 554 Indonesian citizens who were victims of online scams in Myanmar was carried out in two stages. First, as many as 400 Indonesian citizens arrived on Tuesday, March 18, and the second stage was 154 Indonesian citizens scheduled to arrive Wednesday, March 19.

In the last three months, said Philips, this number is the largest number that has been successfully removed from the Myawaddy conflict area.

"The government's commitment to support the community in celebrating Eid al-Fitr is more comfortable to do through various policies, including ensuring that our Indonesian citizens are victims of crime return home during Eid al-Fitr," he said.

Philips said that the repatriation of Indonesian citizens is proof of the implementation of Asta Cita Presiden Prabowo, regarding the importance of protection for Indonesian citizens and Indonesian Migrant Workers (PMI) abroad.

"Minister of Foreign Affairs Sugiono in the 2025 Foreign Ministerial Annual Press Statement (PPTM) has emphasized that the protection of Indonesian citizens and PMI is a top priority in Indonesian diplomacy," he explained.

Philips explained that every Indonesian citizen, wherever they are, must feel the presence and protection of the state. The government is committed to strengthening more anticipatory protection policies, including dealing with transnational crimes.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the first phase of 400 Indonesian citizens, consisting of 313 men and 87 women, with six of them pregnant.

From Myawaddy, Myanmar, they were dispatched to Maesot City in Thailand via 2nd Friendship Bridge.

After going through the health screening process and National Referral Mechanism, they departed by land for 10 hours using nine buses to Bangkok's Don Mueang Airport.

The Indonesian National Armed Forces Protection Team of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Indonesian Embassy in Bangkok and Yangon, as well as the National Police's Hubinter, identified, escorted and accompanied the group from Myawaddy to Indonesia.

The smooth crossing process for Indonesian citizens from Myawaddy was due to intensive coordination and full support from the Thai and Myanmar authorities.

The Indonesian Ambassador to the Kingdom of Thailand, Rachmat Budiman, directly led the efforts to repatriate Indonesian citizens.

President Prabowo Subianto's order is that the protection of migrant workers must be strengthened as well as eradicate the exploitation of workers and TIPs. This is also related to the President's order to increase cooperation with a number of countries in eradicating online gambling and online fraud," said Philips.