Malaysia Deports 100 Thousand Migrant Workers

VIVAnews - The Malaysian government deported around 100 thousand Indonesian migrant workers working in Malaysia. Most of the workers are working in manufacturing industry. The layoffs are in line with the global economic crisis which threatens the Indonesian neighboring country.

"Prior to the celebration of the Chinese New Year, almost 10 thousand workers from Johor had been deported to Indonesia. Probably, there will be more layoffs," said Indonesian Ambassador for Malaysia Tan Sri Da'a Bachtiar as quoted by the Strait Times on Thursday, Feb 5.

He said that Malaysian Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S Subramaniam has guaranteed the Indonesian Migrant Workers concerning the deportation. As of December 2008, the gradual deportation of the migrant workers is estimated to reach 100 thousand workers.

The Indonesian migrant workers are now reaching two million in number. 800 thousand of the total workers are illegal. "There are more than 300 thousand workers in Malaysia working in manufacturing industry," he said.

However, the Malaysian government guarantees that housemaids will not be deported to Indonesia except if their employers decide to send them back to Indonesia.

Translated by: Bonardo Maulana Wahono