"Not all immigrants came to Indonesia as their final destination. Some of them actually wanted to go to Australia or Malaysia. So, if we provide an island for them what will they do there," he said in Pekanbaru, Riau, on Sunday.
He said the best solution for them was referring the responsibility to their destination countries that have a lot of job opportunities.
"The best solution is providing them with jobs in countries that have them," he said.
There have been reports in national media this week telling it is not impossible for Indonesia to offer an island to Australia to temporary shelter immigrants.
Indonesia plans to offer the cooperation to Australia as an immigrants destination country with some conditions including full funding and time limit for the use of the island.
Coordinating minister for political, security and legal affairs Luhut Panjaitan however denied the offer saying it is not beneficial for the people referring to the past experiences in Aceh and in Galang, Riau Islands.
He said the immigrant issue had better be settled jointly by countries involved in it.
"Will Indonesia provide an island for them, I said, we have not thought thus far. Let us just wait and see what will happen. They must each contribute to the settlement of the humanitarian problem," he said.
Foreign minister Retno LP Marsudi said the problem of immigrants must be settled in cooperation between the immigrants countries of origin, transit and destination countries.
"Unless it is done it will be difficult to solve it. Humanitarian aid is one thing but a more sustainable solution to the problem is settling the root cause of the problem meaning it must be discussed with the immigrants countries of origin," she said.
reporting by Bayu Prasetyo
(H-YH/S012)
Editor: Suryanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2015
