Batam, Rempang and Galang (Barelang) City Police chief Sr. Comr. Anggoro Wicaksono said that each of the suspects has their own role.

“Suspect NR processes the passports through middlemen with a fee of Rp 2.7 million (US$157) each and he receives Rp 1 million,” Anngoro told a press conference at the Barelang City Police headquarters on Monday.

“Meanwhile, suspect AN’s role is to pick up and bring the migrant workers to the ferry terminal and assist them in buying ferry tickets from Batam to Malaysia. NR also does the same.”

Also attending the press conference were Batam Immigration Office head Wahyu Eka Putra and Batam Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection Service Post (P4MI) head Indah Wulandari Situmeang.

Suspect AN was detained in the Batam Center at about 11 p.m. while suspect NR was detained in the Tembesi area at about 11:30 p.m.

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Read also: RI seeks legal option for workers in Malaysia amid rising visa abuse

The 43 illegal migrant workers were heading to Johor Bahru disguised as tourists using social visit permits on April 16-19. If they had been successful and found employment, they would have stayed there and worked illegally.

From the questioning, the illegal migrant workers confessed that their departures were facilitated by suspects AN and NR.

The case started when victims MJ, EB and JP planned to work in Malaysia after receiving employment information from their relatives. The suspects then offered their assistance for the travel, from picking up and dropping off the immigrants at the ferry terminal to purchasing ferry tickets and passport applications using unofficial channels. The entire process was done without meeting the official requirements for the placement of migrant workers.

Detectives confiscated three passports, three ferry boarding passes, Rp 4.05 million in cash and two phones belonging to the suspects.

The suspects are charged with violating Article 81 in conjunction with Article 69 and/or Article 83 in conjunction with Article 68 of the 2017 Indonesians Migrant Workers Protection Law and Article 20C of the 2023 Criminal Code. The maximum punishment is 10 years in prison and a fine of Rp 15 billion.

Anngoro said the police were committed to eradicating human trafficking crimes, especially sending illegal migrant workers, which endanger and harm the public.

“The public should not be lured by job offers abroad without proper procedures and ensuring that all documents are complete according to prevailing regulations,” he said.

From January until April, the Batam Port Police station has prevented the departure of 155 illegal migrant workers, with a significant spike from April 16-19.

Most illegal migrant workers who go to Malaysia by ferry will return before the 30-day stay permit expires, as stated in the visa-free regulation. They then return to Malaysia for another 30-day period.

However, there are also many illegal migrant workers who stay illegally beyond the 30-day allocation and even until after their passports expire. For those who overstay, there are two options if they want to return to Indonesia. They can use the illegal ports by paying hefty fees, or they can surrender to Malaysian authorities to be deported after being imprisoned for their violations.

Separately, Riau Islands Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection Service Agency (BP3MI) head Sr. Comr. Imam Riyadi said that teamwork between stakeholders is important in handling the departure of illegal migrant workers from Riau Islands, especially for common points such as Batam Center and Harbor Bay in Batam, Tanjungpinang city and Karimun regency.

“The most effective way is not only tightening supervision at international ferry terminals but also strengthening supervision in places of origin,” he told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

Riyadi also revealed a discourse to create a cross-border pass for residents in border areas as a solution to simplify work permits.

The issue was discussed during the Malaysia-Indonesia Social Economy (Sosek Malindo) meeting in Johor Bahru in 2025 and will be further discussed in Batam in July.

“The policy must be prioritized for indigenous residents in border areas or those who have relatives in Malaysia to prevent misuse by migrants from outside the province,” he said.

“This is similar to the land cross-border pass, but currently there is no sea cross-border pass.”

Mass deportations

In a separate development, the Indonesian Consulate General in Johor Bahru facilitated the repatriation of 281 Indonesians to Batam on April 9 and 10. There were two toddlers in the deportations because their mothers were still undergoing legal processes in Malaysia, as well as a migrant worker who was accompanied by medical workers because of to illness.

There were 131 Indonesians repatriated from the Stulang Laut Ferry Terminal on April 9 and another 150 repatriated from Pasir Gudang Ferry Terminal on April 10.

The deportees consisted of 194 males, 82 females and five children. Most of them come from Aceh, East Java, North Sumatra, Riau and West Nusa Tenggara.

Read also: Indonesia-Malaysia program repatriates 232 migrant workers

The consulate general has repatriated 1,704 Indonesians so far. The major obstacle in repatriation is the deportees do not have travel documents or ID cards, slowing the process to issue travel documents in lieu of passports (SPLP).

The number of deportations reached some 6,000 people in 2025, with 60 percent related to immigration violations.

The consulate general is pushing for a permanent solution by proposing a cross-border worker scheme, which was discussed during the Sosek Malindo meeting in 2025. The proposal was still being deliberated at the ministerial level before being brought to the bilateral negotiation with Malaysia.

Previously, Indonesian Consul General in Johor Bahru Sigit S. Widiyanto said the number of Indonesians working illegally using short visit permits, dubbed passing workers, reached between 9,000 and 10,000 per month with an economic value of Rp 487 billion. The phenomenon is especially visible in Karimun regency, Riau Islands, with some 4,000 people and in Meranti Islands regency, Riau, with between 5,000 to 6,000 people.

“The immigration takes place because of economic push factors. The wage in Malaysia reaches from 1,200 ringgit ($303) to 1,700 ringgit per month, higher than wages in Indonesia,” he said on Feb. 25.

“However, there is no legal protection, and the workers are prone to exploitation ranging from no protection and unpaid wages to imprisonment and deportation.” (nvn)

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