Sorrow in the Neighboring Land

The Malaysian government has long imposed a system that could be used to exploit Indonesian migrant workers. The workers find themselves in a weak position due to lack of documents.

Agung Sedayu

August 1, 2022

WHEN she set foot in Johor, Malaysia, in early 2019, Sumarni only held a tourist’s visa. The woman from Sape, Bima, West Nusa Tenggara, wanted to become an Indonesian migrant worker despite not having appropriate documents. “There was a labor supplier company that promised me a job as a household worker,” said Sumarni when contacted by Tempo, Friday, July 29. 

Sumarni, who was 17 years old at the time, was promised a wage

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