KUALA LUMPUR: The government has denied claims that a large number of Indonesians were recently expelled from Malaysia over Covid-19 fears.
Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said the allegations are not true.
He said all Indonesians who recently returned to their country did so due to other reasons, and this was confirmed by several stakeholders in the republic.
“Indonesian Home Minister Ibu Retno Marsudi said previously that there will be a group of Indonesians going home, but she never said it was an expulsion.
“Indonesian foreign ministry spokesperson Teuku Faizasyah previously stressed that all Indonesians who arrived in the country were not expelled, but were sent home for entering Malaysia without permission before the Covid-19 crisis (began).
“Consul Anang Fauzi Firdaus of the Indonesian Embassy in Johor Baru also admitted that the Indonesians went back (either because) their permission to stay had expired or they couldn’t get a job during the MCO in Malaysia,” he said in a statement today.
Hishammuddin was responding to a statement by Indonesian non-governmental organisation Migrant Care which claimed that the Malaysian government had recently kicked out Indonesians on a large scale.
“I would like to advise those out there to make the necessary checks before issuing a statement.
“Do not simply make an irresponsible allegation that could ruin the good relations between Malaysia and Indonesia,” he added.
Yesterday, Kompas.com quoted Migrant Care executive director Wahyu Susilo urging the Indonesian government to protest Putrajaya’s alleged action of “simply deporting its citizens”.
Wahyu said the deportation had caused some of the Indonesian migrant workers to be exposed to the Covid-19 virus, as they had to travel in a big number and it was difficult to practice social distancing.