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Police stop illegal migrant workers
MATARAM, W
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ATARAM, W. Nusa Tenggara: Police at Selaparang Airport in Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara, successfully prevented 21 illegal migrant workers and their employer from leaving for Malaysia via Surabaya on Tuesday.
All the would-be workers were hired by Malaysian P Sivarajoo, 35, who said he recruited them to work on his oil-palm plantation.
Sivarajoo and the illegal workers were arrested attempting to board a Wings Air flight to Surabaya. They are currently being detained at Mataram Police headquarters for questioning.
The police prevented the workers from departing because they did not possess the necessary legal workers' documents from the Manpower Agency and for using tourist visas instead of working visas.
"Sivarajoo hired the workers individually, which violates manpower regulations," airport police chief Second. Insp. Slamet said.
"He claimed that the workers' documents would be processed in Medan, North Sumatra."
One of the would-be workers, Turmuji, 30, said he would earn RM40 (US$11.35) a day in Malaysia.
"All the fares are paid for by Sivarajoo but we have to pay RM2,500 after our two-year contracts expire," he said. --JP
