19 Indonesian Citizens Arrested By Malaysian Immigration In Johor Bahru, Consulate General Ready To Provide Legal Aid

A total of 19 Indonesian citizens (WNI) were detained by Malaysian authorities (Photo: ANTARA)

JAKARTA - A total of 19 Indonesian citizens (WNI) were detained by Malaysian Immigration in Johor Bahru. One of the 19 perpetrators works as a broker.

The Johor Bahru Consulate General has coordinated with JIM in the State of Johor and received information that the citizens are in good condition and still in the process of quarantine while waiting for the results of PCR tests.

"KJRI Johor Bahru will provide consular assistance and ensure the legal process for citizens arrested in accordance with the provisions in Malaysia. If legal assistance is required, KJRI Johor Bahru will provide 'retainer lawyer' assistance for 18 victims of Immigration Law," said Consul General of the Consulate General of Johor Bahru, Sunarko, Antara, Sunday, August 22.

Meanwhile, according to JIM Director General Indera Khairul Dzaimee, the Malaysian Immigration Department (JIM) has successfully defeated a migrant smuggling syndicate in a special operation 'Ops Selundup' carried out in the Tanjung Sedili area, Kota Tinggi, Johor.

The operation was carried out on August 20, 2021, by a team of immigration officers from the Intelligence and Special Operations Division with assistance from the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM).

"In this operation, two masterminds have been arrested involving a 33 -year -old former civil servant and a 35 -year -old Indonesian man," he said.

When the operation was carried out, he said, the migrants in question were being transported using three vehicles, each guided by the two brokers. A driver managed to escape.

"The Operations Force has received information that a group of smuggled migrants is planned to land at Tanjung Lompat Beach, Johor between 03.00 and 5.00 am. The Operations Force has been mobilized and successfully intercepted the vehicles carrying the migrants," he said.

In addition to brokers and migrants, the three vehicles used were seized with an estimated value of RM130,000 (approximately Rp443 million).

The syndicate is believed to have been active since the Movement Control Order (PKP) was implemented in 2020.

The modus operandi of the syndicate is to work with brokers or those who smuggle migrants from Indonesia and land on the coast around the State of Johor.

"Tekong darat will provide transportation to transport the migrants before they are given to the employer. The cost charged by the syndicate to the migrants to be smuggled into Malaysia is between RM800.00 (Rp2.7 million) to RM1,500.00 (Rp5.1 million) per person," he said.

A total of 18 migrants arrested will be processed under Article 6 (1) (c) of the Immigration Law 1959/63 for entering Malaysia without a valid permit.

"While the two tekong will be processed under Article 26A of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 for the offense of smuggling migrants. They can be sentenced to imprisonment not exceeding 15 years, and can also be fined, or both. All are detained at the Immigration Depot," he said.