Sad News: 143 Workers From Madura Died Abroad, Most Of Them Worked In Malaysia

JAKARTA - The Service Post for the Placement and Protection of Indonesian Workers (P4TKI) in Madura, East Java noted that at least 143 Indonesian Migrant Workers (PMI) from four districts in the region died at their workplaces abroad and most of them were PMIs who worked in Malaysia.

"The data on the number of PMIs from Madura Island who died are data for 2020, from January to December 2020," said P4TKI Coordinator of Pamekasan, Hari Sarjana Saputra, in his press statement in Pamekasan, as quoted from Antara, Sunday, May 2.

Pamekasan Regency is the district with the highest number of PMIs throughout 2020, with 52 people reported. Furthermore, as many as 48 people from Sampang Regency, Bangkalan as many as 29 people, and PMI from Sumenep Regency as many as 14 people.

In general, Hari said, these PMIs went to their workplaces abroad, namely Malaysia and Singapore illegally and did not have official documents.

"There are also official ones, but their residence permit period has expired, but they are still working there," he said.

The PMIs from four districts on Madura Island who were reported to have died were sent back to their home areas in Madura, namely Bangkalan, Sampang, Pamekasan, and Sumenep.

According to the data received by P4TKI, they died due to various reasons, such as illness due to stroke, diabetes, kidney failure, and some work accidents.

"If someone is exposed to COVID-19, the body will not be sent home, but will be buried there immediately," he said, explaining.

Meanwhile, until April 2021, the total number of illegal PMIs who were forcibly returned from their places of work was 346 people.

In details, 143 of them will be discharged in 2020, while the other 202 PMIs will be discharged in 2021, namely until April 2021.

"106 people have just been sent home from Sampang Regency, 25 people from Bangkalan, 45 people from Pamekasan, 27 people from Sumenep," he explained.

Regarding the many PMIs from Madura who work abroad illegally, P4TKI Coordinator Pamekasan Hari Sarjana Saputra has asked that in the future people who want to work abroad should go through official channels.

Besides being able to work more quietly, their safety and security will also be guaranteed.