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n an effort to eliminate pervasive fraud against migrant workers, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and 16 government institutions have agreed to close a special gate for migrant workers at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport by the end of October.

KPK deputy chairman Bambang Widjojanto says that immigration services for arriving migrant workers, which are currently managed at Selapajang gate, will be moved to the general immigration facility at the international arrival gate of the airport.

'€œAt the airport'€™s common use lounge, there will be a crisis center to help workers with health problems or those who don'€™t have enough money to return their hometowns,'€ Bambang told a press conference at KPK headquarters in Jakarta late on Wednesday.

The center will be jointly managed by state-owned airport operator Angkasa Pura II and the Agency for the Placement and Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers (BNP2TKI).

The integration of immigration services will significantly reduce the role of the BNP2TKI, which has controlled the operation of the Selapajang gate since 2008.

Bambang added that starting October, migrant workers could obtain their overseas working card, also known as KTKLN, from the BNP2TKI at the end of their training program. Under the current system, the agency issues the card only moments before workers depart at airports or seaports.

The move came after a surprise inspection at the airport in July, in which the KPK and the National Police detained 18 men, including two low-ranking police officers and a soldier, for allegedly extorting migrant workers by forcing them to use specific travel services and foreign exchange services.

KPK chairman Abraham Samad, who led the inspection, did not rule out the possibility that some BNP2TKI officials were involved in the fraud.

The National Police, however, released the 18 men as they were not caught red-handed committing any crimes during the inspection. The two police, identified only by their initials WD and ET, are currently undergoing questioning at the Jakarta Police over their alleged criminal offences and disciplinary violations.

National Police detective chief Comr. Gen. Suhardi Alius said on Tuesday that the force had arrested two other police officers for their alleged involvement in the extortion scheme. One of the two has been dishonorably dismissed from the force. Suhardi declined to reveal their identities.

Separately, Angkasa Pura II spokesperson Achmad Syahir said that the airport would strengthen security to protect migrant workers from scams.

'€œWe will ensure that migrant workers with no administrative issues can go home, just like other passengers,'€ he said on Thursday.

Anis Hidayah from the NGO Migrant Care welcomed the gate closure.

'€œWe have advocated for the terminal closure for years. The terminal became a medium for discrimination and systematic extortion against the workers. They were forced to rent expensive cars and exchange their money at outrageously high rates,'€ she said on Thursday.

Following the gate closure, Anis called for an investigation to identify and prosecute public officials and individuals who have benefitted from illicit activities at the terminal.

Anis said that following the KPK'€™s raid at the airport, extortion practices had continued.

'€œJust two days ago, we received a report from two migrant workers who had just landed from Qatar that under the assistance of a BNP2TKI official, they chartered a car for Rp 450,000 (US$38) to reach their hometown in Blitar, East Java. In the middle of the journey, the driver asked them to pay an additional Rp 3 million,'€ she said.

The driver dropped the migrant workers off in Surakarta, Central Java as they refused to fulfill his demand.