KUALA LUMPUR — A total of 150 Indonesian migrant workers and citizens have been repatriated from Malaysia with assistance from the Indonesian Consulate General in Johor Bahru.
The return operation was carried out on September 15 in cooperation with the M Division of Malaysia’s Immigration Department in Putrajaya, the consulate said, as reported by Antara.
The group consisted of 100 men, 48 women, a 15-year-old boy and a one-year-old girl.
Most were being returned for immigration offences, including overstaying and working without valid permits.
They departed at 1.30pm local time from Pasir Gudang International Ferry Terminal in Johor and travelled by sea to Batam Centre Port in Indonesia’s Riau Islands.
Consulate officials accompanied the group to help ensure their safety and the smooth completion of the journey.
Upon arrival in Batam, the returnees were received by a joint team comprising the Batam office of the Indonesian Migrant Worker Protection Service (P4MI), immigration officials at Batam Centre Port, the port health quarantine authority and other relevant agencies.
They will be handed over to P4MI Batam for registration and psychosocial assistance before returning to their respective hometowns.
Leny Marliani, Consular Function Officer at the Indonesian Consulate General in Johor Bahru, said repatriation should be viewed not only as an administrative immigration matter but also as part of efforts to support migrants’ social reintegration in their home communities.
She also stressed that returning migrants could help raise awareness among local communities and prevent irregular overseas recruitment and placement practices.
“For Indonesian citizens planning to pursue overseas employment opportunities again in the future, we strongly emphasise the need to use official government channels, such as district or municipal manpower offices, BP3MI, or the Ministry of Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers (KemenP2MI),” she said.
Leny added that following legal procedures was not merely a bureaucratic requirement, but a fundamental safeguard for legal certainty, personal safety and the protection of workers’ rights abroad.
The consulate said it had facilitated the deportation of 4,166 Indonesian citizens from its jurisdiction between the beginning of 2026 and mid-September.
Of these, 1,776 returned through the M programme.
It also thanked Malaysia’s Immigration Department in Putrajaya and Indonesian border agencies for their continued technical support in facilitating the return of Indonesian citizens to their families with dignity and long-term assistance.