NTB Police Arrest PMI Distributors For Victims Of Shipwrecked In Malaysia, Revealed To Have Networks With Containers

Joint police officers show suspected recruiters and senders of Indonesian Migrant Workers (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The team from the Directorate of General Criminal Investigation at the West Nusa Tenggara Police managed to arrest a man suspected of recruiting and sending Indonesian Migrant Workers (PMI) who was a victim of the shipwreck accident in Malaysian waters.

The Director General of the NTB Police, Kombes Hari Brata, said the man suspected of recruiting and sending PMI from NTB had the initials MU alias Long from Danger Hamlet, Masbagik District, East Lombok Regency.

"In addition to recruiting, the alleged perpetrator also played a role as the person who arranged for PMI to be taken to a shelter in Batam and sent to Malaysia through an unofficial port," he said in Mataram, Antara, Tuesday, January 4.

The investigation also revealed Long's role in regulating PMIs upon arrival in Malaysia. Long is suspected of having the power to coordinate directly with the collection and distribution network in Malaysia.

The disclosure of Long's role, explained Hari, after a tekong under the pseudonym Acing who was in Batam, Riau Islands, was caught by a team from the Ditreskrimum Polda Riau Islands.

"The Tekong (Acing) is in Batam. Currently he has been detained at the Riau Islands Police (Riau Islands)," he said.

Since the case is now under the control of the Riau Islands Regional Police, the NTB Regional Police have handed over Long's follow-up to the Riau Islands Police.

"So, our activity in arresting Long in East Lombok is part of the assistance to the personnel of the Ditreskrimum Polda Kepri (Riau Islands)," he said.

The alleged perpetrator Long was arrested by a joint team on Monday evening on Jalan Raya Masbagik heading to Mataram City.

From his arrest, the police carried out developments to Long's house in Danger Hamlet. A number of pieces of evidence relating to the alleged crime of trafficking in persons were also seized.

The handling of this case is a follow-up to the sinking of a ship carrying PMI allegedly illegal at Tanjung Balau Beach, Kota Tinggi Johor, Malaysia, on December 15, 2021.

The ship is suspected of carrying 50 Indonesian citizens, 21 of whom have been declared dead. Of those who died, 14 of them were identified from NTB.

Reportedly today seven bodies of PMI from NTB were repatriated by sea from Johor Bahru, Malaysia, to Batam, Indonesia. His return was using a ship owned by the Indonesian Water Police. Arriving in Batam, the seven bodies will be flown to NTB last Wednesday.

The repatriation of the seven bodies of PMI from NTB is the second group from before, as many as seven bodies who also came from NTB were repatriated on December 24, 2021.