100,000 Indonesian workers to be sent back by December

NST Online, 2009/02/03

By : June Ramli

KUALA LUMPUR, Tues: Close to 100,000 Indonesian workers, mainly in Malaysia's manufacturing sector, are expected to be sent back to their country following the economic slowdown by the end of the year.

"Just before the Chinese New Year celebrations, close to 10,000 workers from Johor were sent back to Indonesia. We are expecting more workers to be laid off soon," Indonesian Ambassador to Malaysia Tan Sri Da'a Bachtiar told reporters after visiting Balai Berita today.

He said Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr. S. Subramaniam had given the embassy assurances that the ministry would minimise the number of Indonesian workers sent home.

However, he believes that more Indonesian workers would be sent home gradually and expects the figure to reach close to 100,000 by December.

There were close to two million Indonesian workers in Malaysia - 800,000 of them illegally.
"We have more than 300,000 workers in the manufacturing sector and one third are excepted to be laid off on a gradual basis," he added.

However, Indonesian maids would not be affected unless their employers decide to send them home.

Bachtiar said the embassy was facing another problem with lay-offs which was created by outsourcing companies who brought in these workers.

"Instead of sending them home, these outsourcing companies want them to take on other jobs like becoming domestic helpers. Some of them don't want another job but want to go home," he said, referring to complaints received by the embassy.