Coordination Meeting for the Return of Troubled Indonesian Migrant Workers from Malaysia

JAKARTA (July 16, 2021) - The Director General of Social Rehabilitation of the Ministry of Social Affairs, Harry Hikmat attended the Coordination Meeting Preparing for the Return of Troubled Indonesian Migrant Workers (PMIB) from Malaysia which was held online by the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture.

This Coordination Meeting discussed preparations for PMIB's repatriation from Malaysia, including data and detailed information regarding PMIB's return (name, origin/final destination, arrival schedule, PCR, completeness of health documents and travel documents), preparations at the Debarkation gate (Soekarno Hatta Airport), ensuring availability of quarantine places and transit places both at the Pademangan Athlete's House and at the Ministry of Social Affairs' Social Rehabilitation Centers.

Furthermore, it is related to data collection on PMIB (population administration), vaccination, repatriation of PMIB to their area of ​​origin (transportation to their area of ​​origin and planning for reintegration and empowerment) as well as the readiness of the Regional Government in the process of repatriating PMIB.

The Indonesian government plans to repatriate 63 deportees from vulnerable groups from 3 Malaysian immigration depots. The deportees came from various regions in Indonesia, the most from East Java Province with 19 people. Furthermore, there were 16 people from North Sumatra Province, 5 people from Aceh, and 4 people from West Java.

PMIB's current priority for returning home is aimed at vulnerable group deportees consisting of 5 elderly people, 22 mothers and children, 1 pregnant woman, and 35 sick people with the most common type of disease being hypertension.

These deportees will be flown directly from Kuala Lumpur Airport, Malaysia, to Soekarno Hatta Airport, Tangerang, on July 22, 2021. They will then undergo a quarantine period of 8 days at the Kemayoran Pademangan Athlete House, Jakarta, before being returned to their area of ​​origin.

The Coordination Meeting for Handling the Return of Problematic Indonesian Migrant Workers from Malaysia was chaired by the Deputy for Coordination of Improving the Quality of Children, Women and Youth of the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture (Kemenko PMK) Femmy Eka Kartika Putri and attended by representatives from other Ministries/Institutions including the Ministry of Social Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, BP2MI, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Transportation, Ministry of Home Affairs, and PT Angkasa Pura II.