Olena Wibisana, Yogyakarta – The Indonesian government on Saturday confirmed that 1,440 Indonesian nationals who crowded the Indonesian Embassy in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, were illegal migrant workers.

The group sought assistance at the embassy after leaving online scam syndicates between Jan. 16 and Jan. 20. Authorities said they will be repatriated to Indonesia, where they will undergo intensive screening by law enforcement agencies.

Deputy Minister for Migrant Worker Protection Dzulfikar Ahmad Tawalla said the workers' illegal status was indisputable, as Indonesia and Cambodia have no bilateral agreement governing the placement of migrant workers.

"They are clearly illegal, because to date there is no bilateral agreement between the Indonesian and Cambodian governments on labor placement," Dzulfikar said in Yogyakarta.

He explained that before repatriation, the Indonesians would undergo immigration and civil administration checks by Cambodian authorities. Upon arrival in Indonesia, further examinations will be conducted immediately at the airport to determine each individual's legal status.

"The screening process includes health and psychological assessments, as well as in-depth profiling upon arrival at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport," Dzulfikar said.

The government said the results of the screening would determine whether any of the returnees face further legal action or are classified solely as victims of criminal networks.

Source: https://jakartaglobe.id/news/indonesia-says-1440-nationals-rescued-in-cambodia-are-illegal-worker