Moratorium demanded in the sending of workers to Malaysia

Kupang, E Nusa Tenggara (AntaraNews NTT) - Deputy Governor of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Josef Nae Soi strongly called for moratorium in sending workers to Malaysia.

In the first eight months of the year, there were already 73 Indonesian migrant workers in Malaysia sent back home lifeless to NTT, Josef said describing the condition as very urgent. "Moratorium is very urgent and should be addressed seriously," he said here on Tuesday (18/9)

He said he had discussed this issue with new NTT Governor Viktor Bungtilu Laiskodat and other community leaders.

He said anyone involved in human traffic should be dealt with firmly. "We are serious about the human life," he said.

He said the number of Indonesian workers sent illegally and already in Malaysia are believed to be much larger than ones sent there legally.

Therefore, the provincial administration would soon send a team to take record of all Indonesian migrant workers from NTT in Malaysia hopefully to start in October 2018, he said.

Separately, head of the provincial manpower and transmigration office of NTT Bruno Kupok said from 2016 to September 2018 there were 5,007 workers from NTT in Malaysia. The numbers did not include those going to that country illegally, he said.

Hundreds of thousands of Indonesians are estimated to work in Malaysia mainly in plantations and part of them entered that country illegally.