"They commonly have problems with proper documents and involvement in crimes in Johor Baru, Malaysia," Priatna said.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia has repatriated 278 problematic Indonesian migrants from Malaysia, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Priatna said here on Monday.

"They commonly have problems with proper documents and involvement in crimes in Johor Baru, Malaysia," Priatna who is director for information and media affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

He said that the foreign ministry in cooperation with the consulate general of Indonesia in Johor Baru succeeded in sending back to Indonesia the Indonesian citizens through the Tanjung Pinang embarkation point.

They consisted of 177 men, 86 women and 15 children.

The repatriation of the 278 Indonesian citizens reflected the success of the government to protect them abroad, particularly those in Malaysia, he said.

"Some of them were serving their sentences in a number of jails in the peninsula where the Indonesian consulate general was able to manage their repatriation," he said.

Earlier on January 18, Indonesia also repatriated 243 Indonesian citizens from that country, consisting of 183 men and 60 women, three of whom were children.

They came from East Java (102 people), Aceh (23), North Sumatra (16) and Central Java (15).

In the meantime, the Indonesian Embassy in Damascus has last year repatriated 1,928 Indonesian citizens, including seven university students, from conflict-torn Syria, Rahmat Hindiarta Kusuma, the embassy`s third secretary, said last week.

Rahamat said that the repatriation, as part of the embassy care and protection for Indonesians overseas, comprised 42 families of the embassy, 80 school and university students, 1,786 housemaids and 20 others of different professions.

Of the number, a total of 1,582 were flown to Indonesia through the Indonesian government`s assistance program facility.

Besides, the Indonesian embassy in Damascus has also extended its assistance to help handle at least 2,540 cases involving Indonesian citizens in Syria, including 225 wage cases.

About 82 percent of the cases have been settled, while the remaining 18 percent, such as stay permit and wage cases, are in the process of settlement.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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