Jakarta – An Indonesian group protesting Kuala Lumpur's decision to whip illegal immigrants toppled the main gate of the Malaysian embassy in Jakarta on Monday, AFP reported.

About 40 demonstrators chanted slogans and set fire to a Malaysian flag in addition to pushing down the gate. Police stopped them from entering the grounds and a small delegation later handed over a protest letter to an embassy official.

The letter called for an end to Malaysia's "inhuman" caning and fining of illegal workers. It demanded the Indonesian government sever diplomatic relations if Malaysia continues to punish Indonesian workers who are trying to return home.

It threatened to open a "Crush Malaysia" (Ganyang Malaysia) front similar to the one which founding president Sukarno employed during his military confrontation with Malaysia in the mid-1960s.

The protesters came from a group calling itself Laskar Merah Putih (the Red and White Militia), after the colours of Indonesia's national flag.

Indonesia's national assembly chairman Amien Rais has criticised Malaysia for what he called the "inhumane" and "insulting" punishment of caning, sparking a rebuke from Kuala Lumpur.

The implementation of the tough new laws followed a July 31 expiry of an amnesty period, which saw the exodus of more than 300,000 illegal migrants. Courts have since sentenced dozens of other workers to jail and caning.

Earlier Monday Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar urged compatriots to avoid travelling to neighbouring Indonesia because of what he called anger over the new punishments.