The Ship Was Hit By A Sinking In The Meranti Islands, 12 Illegal Indonesian Workers Failed To Malaysia

Meranti Islands Police Chief AKBP Andi Yul LTG gave tension regarding the security of illegal Indonesian Migrant Workers (PMI) going to Malaysia. (ANTARA)

MERANTI - After the boat sank, 12 Indonesian Migrant Workers (PMI) from West Nusa Tenggara and East Nusa Tenggara who will depart for Malaysia illegally via the Meranti Islands Regency route, Riau Province, were thwarted by local police.

Meranti Islands Police Chief AKBP Andi Yul LTG in his statement explained the chronology of the security of the PMIs began when members of the West Rangsang Police received information from the public. Residents found the SB Metro 2 speed boat sinking in the waters of Lemang Village, West Rangsang District, on Thursday 9 February.

"In response to this information, the West Rangsang Police Chief and his members went straight to the location and found a speed boat with a 40 PK engine as many as 2 units that had been pulled to the waterside of Lemang Village by the community," said Andi accompanied by the Head of the Indonesian Migrant Workers Service and Protection Center (BP3MI) Riauddy Wahyu.

Before conducting the examination, the West Rangsang Police Chief coordinated with the Head of Criminal Investigation Unit and the Head of Polairud and then found a number of ID cards, passports and bags.

The findings are a clue from the joint police team to conduct further investigations because it is suspected that the ship was used to illegally deliver PMI to Malaysia.

After an investigation, the findings were later raised to a police report in coordination with BP3MI Riau. As a result, information was found that there were 12 PMIs detained in the Straitpanjang and immediately secured by a joint team.

Andi revealed that the ship that was secured was actually going to be used by PMIs to depart. It's just that the ship sank due to damage due to hitting the fishing net beetles around the Lemang Village Waters.

"The BAP (investigation report) that we received while the Indonesian migrant workers came from NTT and NTB who would depart and work in Malaysia," explained Police Chief Andi.

Meanwhile, the Head of BP3MI Riau▁sikap Wahyu expressed his appreciation to the Meranti Islands Police for taking various actions against these findings.

He emphasized that the 12 PMIs who had been detained were victims of individuals who were trying to benefit from sending Indonesian citizens to Malaysia.

He said eight people came from West Nusa Tenggara and four others from East Nusa Tenggara. As of Thursday afternoon February 9, as many as 8 people had been dispatched to Pekanbaru.

"In accordance with our function, we facilitate them to return to their area of origin. But first, we will coordinate with our regional government and service offices," he explained.

According to the information from the PMIs, they had to pay money to brokers to go to Malaysia in varying amounts, ranging from Rp. 3 million to Rp. 12 million per person.

The Calo is suspected to be a resident of Selatpanjang, Meranti Islands Regency and is currently being hunted by the authorities.