Riau Islands will form a special task force to tighten supervision at several ports that are being used by illegal Indonesian migrant workers to leave and return home, Governor Ansar Ahmad announced here on Monday.

“Not only for those (illegal migrant workers) returning from Malaysia, but it turns out that there are still many Indonesian migrant workers who depart via illegal routes,” he noted.

The special task force team for illegal Indonesian migrant workers will involve members of the Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (Fokopimda) within the Riau Islands provincial government area, Ahmad explained.

He said the special task force, once it is formed, must strictly supervise illegal ports in the region to prevent the illegal movement of Indonesian migrant workers.

“Please strictly supervise them, especially if there are indications that certain elements are involved, so that such cases do not happen again,” he stressed.

The governor also said that he was saddened by the sinking of a ship carrying Indonesian migrant workers in the waters off Johor Baru, Malaysia, on December 15, 2021.

The ship was reported to be carrying around 60 Indonesian citizens. Of the 60 Indonesians, 21 were found dead, 13 survived, and a search is still on for the rest.

“Do not let our migrant workers become victims again,” the governor remarked.

He also lauded all elements of the province’s Forkopimda involved in handling the illegal migrant worker problem.

“Tomorrow, the Riau Islands Police’s Directorate of Marine and Air Police will return to Johor to evacuate bodies of 11 Indonesian migrant workers,” Ahmad informed.

Source: Antara News