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UPANG: The remains of two Indonesian migrant workers (TKI) were sent to East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) on July 2 and July 3 from Malaysia. However, the deceased, both from Ende, Flores Island, identified as Nus Tigo and Maria Bani, were repatriated without official documents.

“The body of a TKI from Ende under the name of Maria Bani and the body of Nus Tigo, also from Ende, arrived in NTT consecutively on Saturday and Sunday. Both of them were placed in Malaysia illegally. According to a medical examination, they died of illnesses,” NTT Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection and Recruitment Agency (BP3TKI) head Tato Tirang said on Sunday.

This year, said Tato, 21 of 23 migrant workers from NTT who died in Malaysia were sent illegally. In June 2016, nine TKI died in Malaysia. They consisted of a female and eight male workers.

The high mortality rate of migrant workers from NTT in Malaysia, he added, was due to a lack of medical examinations. Despite suffering from illnesses, they were still sent to work to Malaysia illegally by Indonesian recruitment agencies, regency and city labor offices and the BP3TKI. — JP