inp.polri.go.id - Jakarta. Vice Minister for Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers (PPMI) Christina Aryani highlighted the importance for prospective Indonesian migrant workers (PMI) to choose to work abroad through procedural channels so that their safety is guaranteed while working abroad.

"That it will be more beneficial for them, because there is protection and so on," said the Deputy Minister of PPMI.

She made the statement in response to the rampant arrests and deportations carried out by local authorities in Malaysia against Indonesian migrant workers who violate the law because they work in the country through non-procedural channels.

Christina said that currently there are more than three thousand non-procedural migrant workers who live in shelters in Malaysia because they violate the law in the country.

They are placed in shelters in Malaysia to be deported to their home country through cooperation between local authorities and the Indonesian representative office in that country.

"So over time, they will be repatriated to Indonesia. Usually there will be coordination between our representatives, whether in Johor Baru, or in Kuching, to be repatriated," said the Deputy Minister of PPMI.

Although they will eventually be repatriated, Christina admitted that the process of repatriation of non-procedural migrant workers requires large costs so that it will burden the protection budget for PMI.

Therefore, Christina hopes that these incidents can be overcome by increasing efforts to prevent PMI from leaving the country through non-procedural channels.

"That's why in the future, maybe there needs to be socialization on how migrant workers can leave in accordance with procedures," concluded Christina

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