Indonesia Urges Human Rights Respect Ahead of Malaysia's Migrant Crackdown

Associated Press
Saturday, February 26, 2005

PUTRAJAYA: Indonesia on Saturday urged Malaysia to prevent human rights abuses during a coming crackdown in which it will evict hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants.

Malaysia plans to end an amnesty for an estimated half-million illegal workers, most from neighboring Indonesia, and start arresting and deporting them on Tuesday.

Human rights groups have expressed fears that authorities would use excessive force in detaining suspects.

On Saturday, Indonesian Manpower Minister Fahmi Idris said his government hopes "the crackdown will be carried out in accordance with the principles of human rights."

Idris, speaking to reporters after meeting with Malaysia's Home Minister Azmi Khalid, stressed that Malaysian authorities should also target the migrants' employers - especially unscrupulous ones who have withheld workers' pay.

"If the illegals are whipped, then their Malaysian employers should also be whipped," Idris said. Whipping is sometimes used to punish illegal migrants in Malaysia.

Azmi promised that Malaysia would curb abuses. "We have been more humanitarian than anyone you can think of," he said.

The crackdown will target businesses including vegetable farms and orchards, where illegal workers are rampant, Azmi said.

Malaysia, claiming that illegal migrants added to its crime rate and social problems, in October urged 1 million of them to leave voluntarily without fear of punishment.

Hundreds of thousands took up the offer, but nearly 500,000 are believed to remain.

Migrants arrested in the crackdown are expected to be tried and deported after serving jail sentences and possibly being whipped.

Those who leave voluntarily will be allowed to return if they acquire proper documents. Indonesians form the backbone of the work force in jobs spurned by most Malaysians in construction sites, plantations and low-paying industries.