Malaysia Remains a Magnet for Indonesian Migrant Workers

Beginning in early July 2017, the Malaysian government conducted raids targeting illegal foreign workers following the expiration of the Enforcement Card (E-Kad) program the previous month. Many Indonesian migrant workers (TKI) fled to the forest to avoid these raids. It is estimated that there are 1.5 million illegal Indonesian migrant workers in Malaysia, but only around 22,000 participated in the E-Kad program to legalize their status.

Malaysia remains a significant destination for Indonesian migrant workers working abroad. Data from the Indonesian National Agency for Placement and Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers (BNP2TKI) shows that the placement of Indonesian migrant workers in Malaysia from January to May 2017 reached 31,779 workers. This is the largest number compared to other countries, representing approximately 38 percent of the total placement of Indonesian migrant workers abroad, which amounted to 83,900 workers.

In fact, the placement of Indonesian migrant workers in Malaysia during the January-May 2017 period decreased by 17.5 percent compared to the same period in 2016, which reached 38,535 workers. Placement of Indonesian migrant workers in Malaysia has consistently been the highest compared to other countries. The peak occurred in 2013, with over 150,000 Indonesian migrant workers seeking employment in neighboring Malaysia.