Robert Go, Jakarta – The Indonesian government yesterday formed a ministerial-level task force to deal with the hundreds of thousands of illegal workers who fled Malaysia's new tough immigration laws in recent days fearing harsh punishment, including jail and caning.
But instead of focusing on helping these workers get back to home regions within Indonesia, the task force will work on sending them back to Malaysia legally.
Vice-President Hamzah Haz said after a Cabinet meeting that this was in preparation for Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's visit.
"The task force will discuss how to solve the migrant workers' issue, given that Malaysia still needs workers from Indonesia." Coordinating People's Welfare Minister Yusuf Kalla, the task force's chairman, told reporters: "We are working to return these workers to Malaysia as soon as possible.
"Malaysia is in trouble now. There is nobody left to work in its factories, plantations and petrol pumps, or as household maids. Illegal workers from Indonesia are beneficial to Malaysia. They are cheap, plentiful, and employers do not pay taxes on them."
The task force also includes Justice and Human Rights Minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra, Social Affairs Minister Bachtiar Chamsyah, Transportation Minister Agum Gumelar and Police Chief Dai Bachtiar.
Mr Yusuf added that the two countries were expected to sign an agreement this week on how Indonesian migrant workers can work and should be treated in Malaysia.
Jakarta's latest initiative could set President Megawati Sukarnoputri and Dr Mahathir, who will begin a two-day meeting in Bali tomorrow, on a collision course over migration controls and labour policies. Malaysia clearly does not want illegal workers – particularly those from Indonesia – back.
Dr Mahathir's government came down hard on illegal workers following rioting and other incidences of violence perpetrated by rampaging Indonesian labourers last year.
Malaysian authorities first threatened to deport migrant workers and then gave Indonesians least-priority status when it comes to accepting migrant workers. Under laws that took effect on August 1, illegal immigrants or those harbouring them face mandatory six-month jail terms and up to six strokes of the cane.
The Indonesian government's response to this crisis has also drawn criticisms from workers' groups, who said that Jakarta is evading responsibility for the welfare of its citizens by not spending resources on giving them jobs at home.
Reports from Indonesian regions indicated that there are still around 200,000 workers stranded in various regions that border Malaysia.
Mr Wahyu Susilo of workers' advocacy group Kopbumi said: "The government doesn't know how to deal with these workers. So it is throwing them out again. It should be focusing more on helping workers and on creating new jobs here.
"Wanting to send the workers back is not realistic. Malaysia, after going through all this trouble to get them out, is surely not interested in taking them back."