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View all search resultsRI seeks legal option for workers in Malaysia amid rising visa abuse
Many of the undocumented workers take up freelance or short-term jobs in Malaysia before returning to Indonesia prior to the expiry of their visa-free stay. After spending only a few days in border areas, they re-enter Malaysia under the visa exemption scheme, repeating the cycle.
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Indonesian migrant workers deported from Johor Bahru, Malaysia, arrive at the Batam Center International Ferry Terminal in Batam, Riau Islands, on Jan. 8, 2026. (Courtesy of Indonesian Consulate General in Johor Bahru/-)
T
he Indonesian Consulate General in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, has called for the establishment of a formal cross-border worker scheme following a rise in Indonesian nationals allegedly exploiting Malaysia’s visa-free entry to seek illegal employment.
Indonesian Consul-General in Johor Bahru Sigit S. Widiyanto said the number of suspected illegal migrant workers from the Riau Islands alone is estimated at between 9,000 and 10,000 people annually, generating economic activity of up to Rp 487 billion (US$29 million), exceeding the yearly locally generated revenue of several regencies in the province.
Riau Island lies directly adjacent to Malaysia, northwest of the state of Johor. Travel between Riau Islands and Malaysia typically takes between 1.5 and 2.5 hours by ferry or plane, making cross-border movement relatively easy.
According to Sigit, many of the workers take up freelance or short-term jobs in Malaysia before returning to Indonesia prior to the expiry of their visa-free stay. After spending only a few days in border areas, they re-enter Malaysia under the visa exemption scheme, repeating the cycle.
“This practice is not only popular among residents of the Riau Islands but also among Indonesians from other provinces. In 2025, around 1.5 million Indonesians entered Malaysia through 10 ports under the jurisdiction of the Johor Bahru consulate, which covers Johor, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka and Pahang. This figure rose from 1.2 million the previous year,” he told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.
Sigit said the illicit scheme, which is locally known as “passing”, remains appealing because monthly wages in Malaysia range from 1,200 ringgit ($308) to 1,700 ringgit, considerably higher than the minimum wage in the Riau Islands and in most other provinces across Indonesia.
He added that the lengthy process of securing an official work visa, which typically takes two to three months, prompted many workers to turn to informal channels instead.
