A total of 211 Indonesian migrant workers, deported from Saudi Arabia for allegedly violating immigration rules, arrived home via Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Tangerang, Banten. - Antara
TANGERANG: Deputy Minister of Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection, Dzulfikar Ahmad Tawalla, welcomed 211 Indonesian migrant workers, deported from Saudi Arabia, at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on Sunday morning, reported Indonesian news agency Antara.
Speaking in Tangerang, Banten Province, Tawalla emphasised the government's genuine care for all Indonesian citizens, as demonstrated by receiving the migrant workers deported by Saudi Arabian authorities for allegedly violating immigration rules.
Tawalla, however, expressed regret over the recurrence of such deportation cases, attributing it to the lack of reliable information on immigration regulations and overseas work placement provided to the migrant workers.
According to the deputy minister, many Indonesian citizens have persistently attempted to work in 19 Middle Eastern countries, trying to circumvent the Indonesian government's moratorium on migrant worker placement in those countries.
"We hope that this kind of case will not recur in the future," he remarked.
Meanwhile, the Director of Indonesian Citizens Protection at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Yudha Nugraha, highlighted that most of the 211 Indonesian migrant workers had been expelled from Saudi Arabia for lacking the required documents and overstaying.
"Some of them were held at the Shumaisi immigration detention centre in Saudi Arabia," he pointed out.
To tackle this issue, Nugraha emphasised the need for the state to do its utmost to protect citizens, including by providing them with comprehensive information on the risks of working abroad.
The official highlighted the importance of the government and the public complying with Law No. 18 of 2017 on the protection of Indonesian migrant workers.
"Upon arriving in your country of destination, you must abide by its prevailing regulations, including those related to immigration," he told the public. - Bernama-Antara
