KemenP2MI Quick Action Returns Risk: Agent Tricked, Poorly Treated By Employers In Oman

Riska Migrant Workers who were repatriated by KemenP2MI from Oman (DOK Capture Instagram screen)

JAKARTA - Riska, a migrant worker from Palu, Central Sulawesi who went viral with his video asking for help from the Indonesian government to help repatriate him to Indonesia and finally arrived in the country, Sunday, April 13 afternoon.

Riska was repatriated from Oman to Indonesia by transiting in Malaysia. Furthermore, he will be facilitated to return to his home area in Palu, Central Sulawesi.

Riska's return cannot be separated from the efforts of the Minister for the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers (P2MI), Abdul Kadir Karding. After seeing the video of Riska viral on social media, Karding then asked his staff to help Riska's return to her hometown.

"Mr. Minister, thank you for your help. I can still be allowed to return to the country, to gather with my family. I can't help with what you have given me, but once again, thank you, I thank you, let Allah SWT reply with multiples," said Riska, quoted from Instagram, Monday, April 14.

Initially, Riska was promised to work in Malaysia in February 2025 as a household assistant. However, after waiting one month in Malaysia, Riska has not been given a job by people claiming to be sponsors.

After that, continued Riska, her sponsor lured her to work at Oman with a high salary and a good employer. Riska agreed and finally left for Oman on March 13, 2025

"But getting there is not as expected," said Riska.

He was even forced to hunger because he was not given food and money during his trip to Oman, who had transited in Bangladesh.

Arriving at Oman, Riska was hired for two days at her employer's house. During those two days, Riska admitted that she was verbally abused and she was then sent home by her employer to the agent who took her to Oman.

When sent back to the agent who brought him, Riska said she was worried, because so far, many other migrant workers were subjected to physical violence when they were sent back to the agent who also accommodated them. There are 15 Indonesian migrant workers, including Riska, who are accommodated by migrant worker distribution agents in Oman.

"I was afraid that when I was sent back to the agent, because when I arrived at the agent, I was usually beaten. But fortunately I wasn't hit, I just got verbal abuse, but I was already scared. That's why I made the video, I wanted to ask for help to be sent back to Indonesia. Because I was traumatized, I was already scared," he said.

Riska also felt cheated by the agent who lured her to work from her hometown in Palu. The agent, said Riska, claimed to be an official agent who turned out to only pass her from one agent to another, until finally she was stranded in Oman.

"I am heartened to leave. I knew it was illegal (Oman) there. The passport was not just for work permit," he upset.

Riska then reminded other Indonesian citizens who want to work abroad to be careful and not tempted by the lure of big salaries on social media, but it turns out to be illegal.

"Although we have to wait, it is better to go with official roads and foundations or official distributors," he concluded.