The Indonesian Consulate General in Kuching Accompanying the Deportation Process of 97 Indonesian Citizens by Malaysia

Indonesian Consul General Kuching, Raden Sigit Witjaksono (white shirt black hat) briefed troubled Indonesian citizens who were deported upon arrival at the Entikong PLBN. ANTARA/HO-Humas KJRI Kuching (Teofilusianto Timothy)

PONTIANAK - The Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia (KJRI) Kuching assisted in the process of repatriation or deportation of 97 Indonesian Citizens (WNI) who had problems in Malaysia.

"The deportation was carried out by the Immigration of Malaysia because dozens of Indonesian citizens were arrested and did not have immigration documents," said Indonesian Consul General Raden Sigit Witjaksono, Tuesday, January 10.

Sigit conveyed, the repatriation of the 97 Indonesian citizens to Indonesia was carried out through the borders of Tebedu, Malaysia, and Entikong, Indonesia, at the Entikong Cross-border Post (PLBN), Sanggau region, West Kalimantan.

According to him, the deportation carried out by the Malaysian Immigration Service was the first deportation in early 2023 at the Tebedu-Entikong border.

"I, together with the Acting Consular Function 1 of the Indonesian Consulate General in Kuching, accompanied the deportation process until it was finished, everything went smoothly and according to applicable regulations," he said.

Meanwhile, the Acting Consular Function 1 of the Indonesian Consulate General in Kuching Budimansyah explained that out of the 97 people who were deported, 16 of them were women and 81 were men.

He said, before being deported, the 97 troubled Indonesian citizens were detained at the Semujah Immigration Detention Depot, Serian, Sarawak.

Budimansyah mentioned, based on the criteria for violations or cases committed by the 97 people, whether they were Indonesian citizens or problematic Indonesian Migrant Workers (PMI), namely violating Malaysian immigration regulations, namely in Sarawak Country.

"There are those (WNI) who violate the rules by entering and working without a work permit or even without a passport," said Budimansyah.

Regarding the deportations, said Budimansyah, the Indonesian Consulate General in Kuching had completed travel documents for 97 Indonesian citizens with problems to facilitate the process of repatriation to Indonesia through the Entikong PLBN.

"We are grateful that this deportation activity can run smoothly, this is thanks to good coordination between the Indonesian Consulate General in Kuching and Immigration Malaysia, Sarawak State, and the Task Force Team for the Return of Indonesian Citizens and PMI with problems," he said.

In the deportation process, 97 Indonesian citizens were immediately received by the Task Force Team for the Return of Indonesian Citizens or PMI with problems at the Entikong PLBN, to be subsequently returned to their respective regions in Indonesia.