Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The House of Representatives has asked the government to take action over continued immigration raids against Indonesians in Malaysia.
A group of government volunteers has been rounding up Indonesians in Malaysia, taking them to police stations and checking their work permits. The wife of the Indonesian ambassador was recently caught in such a raid.
A number of politicians asked the House to file a strong protest through the national media and urged the government to withdraw the Indonesian ambassador in Kuala Lumpur and suspend sending migrant workers to Malaysia.
Interrupting the plenary session that closed the House's fourth sitting period here Wednesday, Dradjad Wibowo of the National Mandate Party and Permadi of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle said the Malaysian's ongoing operation to sweep Indonesian citizens was no longer tolerable and was ""strong evidence"" that Malaysia was ""looking down on"" Indonesia.
Permadi also criticized the government, saying it had remained silent and had done nothing to retaliate over its citizens' uncivilized treatment.
""The government should not stay calm but take concrete action, including withdrawing our ambassador and suspending sending migrant workers in revenge against the Malaysian operation,"" he said, while insisting that the protest be included in the plenary session's conclusion.
Outside the plenary session, Sutradara Gintings of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle and Yuddy Chrisnandi of the Golkar Party, similarly asked the government to withdraw the Indonesian ambassador to Malaysia within three days as a signal to Kuala Lumpur that Jakarta was against its treatment of Indonesian citizens.
Sutradara also said that the House should ask the government to halt the two countries' annual joint military exercises as this could jeopardize Indonesia's defense strategy.
Meanwhile, Yuddy warned that Malaysia would interfere in Indonesia's internal affairs unless no action was taken.
Manpower Minister Erman Suparno, however, said that the government was unlikely to stop sending workers to Malaysia.
""We would do so if there was a ruling regulating such a mechanism. After all, it is the right of every Indonesian to get a job and decent life as guaranteed in the 1945 Constitution,"" Erman told reporters Wednesday.
Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda warned the House in a hearing with Commission I on defense, information and foreign affairs here earlier this week that sensitive issues such as illegal logging, human trafficking and labor export were considered crucial to the two countries' good ties.
House Speaker Agung Laksono said in a press meeting after the House's plenary session that the two countries' leaders should meet immediately to settle the sensitive issues in a civilized manner.
He said Indonesia should eliminate anti-Malaysian sentiments at home while Malaysia should treat Indonesian citizens humanely.
