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View all search results300 Indonesians return home as Malaysia steps up deportation
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A group of repatriated Indonesians, including 71 migrant workers, wait in line for the next leg of their journey on Aug. 9, 2025, after arriving at Batam Center International Ferry Port in Riau Islands from Johor Bahru, Malaysia. (JP/Fadli)
T
hree hundred Indonesians previously detained in Malaysia’s immigration depots in Johor Bahru have been returned home, the Foreign Ministry in Jakarta has announced, calling on people to comply with local regulations as arrests of Indonesians in the neighboring country continue.
In the latest round of repatriation, hundreds of undocumented migrants arrived at the Batam Center Port on Thursday, coming from Johor Bahru following months of detention and uncertainty for many.
With thousands of Indonesians still held in Malaysian detention centers, Thursday’s repatriation of 300 prioritized the most vulnerable, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement, including the elderly and those with financial problems.
“The group consisted of senior citizens, pregnant women, mothers and children, unaccompanied minors and Indonesian citizens who had been in the detention center for more than six months, with financial constraints,” the ministry said.
There were 13 recorded underage children included in the group, the ministry added.
The deported Indonesians were provided with medical support and will take part in a reintegration program once they return home, the ministry said, adding that the Riau Islands’ manpower, immigration and health agencies, as well as regional police will be responsible for the process.
“The vulnerable citizens expressed their heartfelt appreciation for [all those] involved in their repatriation,” the ministry said.
