Hundreds Of Indonesian Citizens In Malaysian Immigration Detention Center Immediately Return

ILLUSTRATION/ Non-procedural Indonesian Migrant Workers (PMI) departed from PLBN Badau on the RI-Malaysia border, Kapuas Hulu, West Kalimantan, to be handed over to the Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection Agency in Pontianak/ANTARA

JAKARTA - More than 200 Indonesian citizens who are in immigration detention centers in the Sabah region, Malaysia, will soon be repatriated to Indonesia following reports of several Indonesian citizens who died in these facilities.

"The latest information we received from the Indonesian Consulate in Tawau, there will be a process for the repatriation of more than 200 of our citizens who are in the Sabah detention center from the Tawau area to Nunukan. God willing, we can do it this month", said the Director of Protection for Indonesian Citizens and BHI at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Judha Nugraha, as quoted by ANTARA, Thursday, July 14.

The plan to accelerate the repatriation of Indonesian deportees to Indonesia was the result of a meeting between the Indonesian Consul General in Kota Kinabalu and the Indonesian Consul in Tawau with the Immigration Director for the Sabah Region, Malaysia.

"Because we noted that many detentions in Malaysia were overcrowded, the acceleration of repatriation is one solution", said Judha.

The meeting also obtained data on 18 Indonesian citizens who died in Sabah immigration detention in 2021, and seven people from January to June 2022.

The meeting was held to follow up on the report of the Sovereign Migrant Workers Coalition (KBMB) regarding Indonesian citizens who died in Malaysian immigration detention because they were suspected of having been abused. Several Indonesian deportees were also suspected of receiving inhumane forms of punishment and torture.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has met with the KBMB to obtain detailed information regarding the report to investigate the case.

"We have obtained detailed data and we are currently studying it, including asking our lawyers in Tawau to study these cases from a legal perspective", said Judha.

Indonesian Ambassador to Malaysia Hermono also plans to visit Tawau to meet with Malaysian immigration authorities and related agencies to obtain comprehensive information on the incident.