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December 6, 2024 | 11:25 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The official port in Batam has become a nest for smuggling Indonesian Migrant Workers (PMI) in a non-procedural manner. Only a few workers are smuggled through the back route or rat ports.
It was revealed after the latest case involving BP Batam port employees who played a role in illegally introducing migrant workers into ships to work abroad. However, the police have not yet received information on the number of migrant workers successfully smuggled by the perpetrators each day at the Batam Center International Port.
According to the Head of the Indonesian Migrant Worker Protection Service Office (BP3MI) Kepri, Police Commissioner Imam Riyadi, based on the available data, the majority of this non-procedural PMI smuggling is carried out through official ports, one of which is the Batam Center International Port.
Imam said that in 2024, BP3MI recorded 2885 non-procedural PMIs departing to Malaysia to work illegally through official ports. Meanwhile, only 155 people pass through the back route or rat ports.
"So from all our data taken from the migrant workers we facilitated (returning), received from friends at the KJRI (Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia), those who took the official route in 2285 people, compared to only 155 people taking the back route," Imam told Tempo, after a press conference on the disclosure of the case involving BP Batam employees in the smuggling of non-procedural PMIs at the Riau Islands Regional Police Headquarters on Tuesday (19/11/2024).
Imam stated that all these non-procedural PMIs are departing for work via official channels, including the Batam Center International Port. "From all the data earlier, (non-procedural PMIs) leaving the Batam Center International Port are 896 people in 2024, which is the highest at official ports," he said.
Humanitarian activist Father Paschalis admitted that he was not surprised by the phenomenon. According to him, the smuggling of non-procedural PMIs has been busier through the front door or official ports in Batam.
"From the past, these workers (migrants) have been brought through the front door (official ports). I'm just surprised why the back route is being framed, as if smuggling is through the back route, that's all that's being focused on, even the level of the National Police Headquarters only catches the back route," said Father when contacted by Tempo on Tuesday (3/12/2024).
Father asked not to deceive the public anymore, saying that smuggling is through the back door. "No, from the beginning, it's through the front door (official ports)," he said.
Father, who is also the Chairman of the Commission for Peace and Migrant Pastoral Justice (KKPPMP) of the Pangkalpinang Diocese, asserted that this non-procedural PMI smuggling is not new, it has been happening for a long time. "The games have been going on for a long time, and the players are old," Father said.
He also regretted why the police only released the BP Batam employee smuggling perpetrators. According to him, they are small players in the PMI smuggling network in Batam. "Why didn't they release those caught by the Water Police, the big mafia players," he said.
The issue of Trafficking in Persons (TPPO) has become a classic problem in Batam, Father said. He added that it is now up to the government or law enforcement whether or not to arrest the major mafia involved in smuggling migrant workers.
"Although this network continues to exist, we have a little hope in the new government, President Prabowo must appoint people with perspectives on human trafficking, both the Police Chief, Director of TPPO, and key positions at the Regional Police must strengthen with people who truly have credibility, conscience, if not, we will just repeat the same mistakes," he said.
YOGI EKA SAHPUTRA | IQBAL MUHTAROM
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