VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Indonesian Foreign Ministry's spokesperson, Teuku Faizasyah. (Handout Kemlu RI)

Malaysian authorities arrested 421 undocumented Indonesian workers during raids in several areas across the country this month and are expected to repatriate them to Indonesia once the legal process is completed, the Foreign Ministry said.

Malaysian authorities apprehended the workers for allegedly violating the country's immigration regulations, such as residing in the country without valid documents, over-staying, and possessing fake documents, Indonesian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Teuku Faizasyah told journalists in Jakarta on Wednesday.

The workers are currently being detained at the Malaysian Immigration's detention house, and the Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur has provided them with consular facilities, Faizasyah informed.

"Based on our experience, the Indonesians arrested and then detained by Malaysian Immigration (authorities) will be repatriated to Indonesia after they have completed the country's legal process," he added.

The 421 undocumented Indonesian citizens were arrested during raids in Pasar Borong Selayang, Kuala Lumpur, on May 11, 2020.

Besides the Indonesians, the Malaysian Immigration authorities have also detained 790 Myanmar citizens, 54 Indians, six Pakistanis, 78 Bangladeshis, and several other foreigners.

The Malaysian Health Ministry has declared that 7,551 foreign nationals that the country's authorities have questioned and 1,368 undocumented foreigners currently detained in the country have tested negative for the new coronavirus disease.

In view of the impact of Malaysia's movement control order (MCO) on Indonesian migrant workers, the Indonesian Government has announced aid for severely affected workers.

The government is obliged to assist all Indonesians who have been severely affected by the neighboring country's MCO policy, irrespective of their status, the Indonesian Foreign Ministry's director for the Protection of Citizens and Legal Entities Overseas, Judha Nugraha, said.

The Malaysian Government is planning to extend the enforcement of its movement order control until June 9, 2020 to slow the spread of the deadly coronavirus disease. The MCO was first imposed on March 18 this year.

Since the month of April, 348,843 recipients have been provided relief under the Indonesian government's aid program for migrant workers in Malaysia.

Coronavirus infections initially emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan at the end of 2019. Since then, COVID-19 has spread to at least 202 countries and territories, including Malaysia and Indonesia, with a massive spurt in the death toll.

The Indonesian Government officially confirmed the country's first cases on March 2 this year. (ANTARA)