The shooting of five Indonesian irregular migrant workers in Malaysia in the past week has sparked public concern. Of the five victims, one has died.
This incident raises major questions regarding human rights protection and the bilateral relationship between Indonesia and Malaysia.
International human rights observer Professor Dafri Agussalim from the UGM Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (Fisipol UGM) considered the Malaysian authorities’ actions in this incident excessive and violated international human rights law.
“The actions of the Malaysian authorities can be categorized as a violation of international law, especially regarding human rights,” he said on Monday, Feb. 3, 2025.
Regarding the steps Indonesia must take, Professor Agussalim emphasized that the government should not stop at merely filing an official protest with Malaysia but also carry out systemic improvements at home.
“This should not only end with compensation and punishment later on. Beyond that, both countries need to revisit the mechanisms for protecting migrant workers to ensure that similar incidents do not continue to occur,” he said.
He also highlighted the importance of revising and enforcing bilateral agreements regarding the protection of Indonesian workers in Malaysia.
According to him, there are ASEAN-level protocols that regulate migrant worker protection, but their implementation has been far from ideal.
“Many regulations are already in place but are not effectively enforced in practice. This issue should prompt Indonesia to seriously reflect on how it handles illegal migration flows,” he said.
Professor Agussalim urged that the resolution of this case should not be partial but instead approached systematically, covering legal, economic, and social aspects.
The country cannot just press Malaysia without addressing its own internal issues.
With this incident, Indonesia faces a major task—demanding justice for the victims, reforming labor policies, and strengthening protections for migrant workers to prevent such tragedies from recurring.
“This is not just a shooting case but a major issue reflecting a systemic failure in managing Indonesia’s workforce. Eradicate this crime at its roots and establish clear bilateral relations capable of protecting citizens,” he explained.
He noted that the phenomenon of illegal migrant workers entering Malaysia is not solely due to Malaysian policies but also stems from a combination of factors, namely push factors from within Indonesia and pull factors from the destination country.
“One of the main factors is the Indonesian government’s failure to provide adequate employment opportunities. If there were jobs in Indonesia with decent wages, people would not take such great risks by working illegally abroad,” he stressed.
On the other hand, Malaysia attracts migrant workers because it offers higher wages than Indonesia.
This situation is worsened by the role of brokers and labor trafficking syndicates, which act as an intermediary or third factor in the chain of illegal migration.
“This is a crime that has long been known. However, there are indications of state neglect or ignorance,” he said.
According to Professor Agussalim, irregular migrant workers often fall into illegal recruitment schemes.
They are promised decent jobs but must pay a significant amount to brokers in both Indonesia and Malaysia.
“This business chain is very long, with many parties profiting from the situation. Unfortunately, to date, Indonesia has not shown firmness in dealing with these broker networks,” he explained.
He emphasized that the Indonesian government cannot simply react after a shooting occurs.
Efforts to prevent and take action against networks that traffic Indonesian citizens are still weak and need to be eradicated.
In addition, he highlighted the government’s role in enforcing laws and protecting its citizens.
He compared it with other countries that manage their labor force more effectively so that their citizens do not need to seek risky employment abroad.
“Have we ever heard of citizens from neighboring countries like Australia or Singapore having to work illegally in other countries? No. That’s because their governments are able to provide decent jobs for their citizens. Meanwhile, in Indonesia, migrant workers are often called ‘foreign exchange heroes,’ when in fact it should be the state’s responsibility to ensure their welfare,” he stressed.
As reported, the shooting of five Indonesian migrant workers was carried out by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency in the waters of Tanjung Rhu, Selangor, Malaysia, on Jan. 24.
The workers were attempting to leave Malaysia by boat.
Author: Bolivia Rahmawati
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Lintang
Photo: Freepik