Indonesian Embassy In Phnom Penh Facilitates The Repatriation Of The Bodies Of Non-Procedural Indonesian Citizens, Indonesian Ambassador: Use The Official Path

The repatriation of the bodies of non-procedural Indonesian citizens from Cambodia. (Source: Indonesian Embassy in Phnom Penh)

The Indonesian Ambassador to Cambodia has again warned Indonesian citizens (WNI) who want to work abroad to use official channels, when the Indonesian Embassy in Phnom Penh repatriates the bodies of non-procedural Indonesian citizens.

The Indonesian Embassy in Phnom Penh facilitated the repatriation of the body of an Indonesian citizen from North Sumatra named Azwar (31). The Cambodian Police report said Azwar died of a head injury as a result of falling from a building in Chrey Thum City, Kandal Province on June 10, 2025.

The Indonesian Embassy in Phnom Penh has communicated with his family since receiving information from the Cambodian side, including related to the handling of the deceased's body.

From the start, the Indonesian Embassy in Phnom Penh asked the local police to investigate the incident of Azwar's death. Local police were also asked to urge related parties to be responsible for handling the deceased's body.

After almost two months of processing, the building manager where the deceased was found was finally willing to bear the cost of returning the body and giving some compensation to the family.

The Indonesian Embassy in Phnom Penh appreciated the cooperation between the Cambodian Police in resolving this case. Azwar is known to have entered Cambodia non-procedurally through Malaysia in April 2025.

The Indonesian Ambassador to Cambodia, Santo Darmosumarto, again appealed to Indonesian citizens to be careful of fraudulent modes of job offers abroad, which "too good to be true".

"For Indonesian citizens to use official channels in carrying out the process of placing work abroad," said Ambassador Santo in a statement from the Indonesian Embassy in Phnom Penh as quoted on Thursday, August 7.

The Indonesian Ambassador underlined a significant spike in cases involving Indonesian citizens throughout 2025. During January-June, the Indonesian Embassy in Phnom Penh handled 2,585 cases of protecting Indonesian citizens. Of these, 83 percent or 2,100 cases were related to Indonesian citizens involved in online networks and fraudulent activities.

Azwar's body is scheduled to arrive at Kualanamu Airport, Medan, on August 8, 2025 to be buried in his hometown according to the family's request.

The Directorate of Protection of Indonesian Citizens of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other relevant agencies will receive the body at the airport and hand it over to the family of the deceased.

The Indonesian Embassy in Phnom Penh encourages the strengthening of cross-sectoral synergies in the context of protecting Indonesian citizens abroad, either through cooperation with relevant agencies in Indonesia or with authorities in Cambodia.

The Indonesian Embassy is also ready to cooperate with law enforcement officials to investigate networks that dispatch non-procedural Indonesian citizens to be employed illegally, including in the case of the late Azwar.