BP3MI Riau Repatriates 11 Undocumented Migrant Workers from Malaysia

RRI.CO.ID, Pekanbaru - The persistent vulnerability of Indonesian laborers to human trafficking networks has been thrust back into the spotlight following the successful interception and repatriation of 11 undocumented Indonesian migrant workers (PMIs) who slipped back into the country via unauthorized sea routes from Malaysia.

The group, who had crossed the Malacca Strait through unofficial channels, was initially intercepted by the Marine and Air Police Unit (Satpolairud) of the Dumai City Police. Following their rescue, the Riau chapter of the Indonesian Migrant Worker Protection Agency (BP3MI) took over their administrative care and systematically organized their return to their respective hometowns across the archipelago.

BP3MI Riau Head Harold Hamonangan confirmed on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, that the workers had been handed over by law enforcement personnel to the Dumai Indonesian Migrant Worker Protection Service Center (P4MI) last Friday on July 10, following an initial security sweep along the coast.

"These 11 PMIs were secured based on information and the results of an investigation by the Satpolairud of the Dumai Police. Subsequently, BP3MI Riau, together with P4MI Dumai, provided assistance and facilitated their return to their respective areas of origin," Harold said in Pekanbaru, explaining that the joint operation ensured the workers received proper psychological assistance and logistical support, as quoted by Antara.

The undocumented workers were discovered huddled in the coastal area of Pesisir Pantai Besilam Baru, located within the Sungai Sembilan Subdistrict of Dumai City. Proving the widespread geographical nature of undocumented labor migration, the group comprised individuals hailing from six different provinces across Sumatra and Java, specifically Aceh, Riau, Jambi, South Sumatra, Central Java, and West Java.

According to Harold, the individuals had previously been employed in various sectors across Malaysia but made the perilous decision to return home through non-procedural entry points, leaving themselves heavily exposed to exploitation by transnational human smuggling cartels.

"After undergoing the data collection and handling process, all PMIs were sent home using land transportation toward their respective areas of origin," Harold added.

The comprehensive repatriation effort utilized extensive commercial land transport networks to safely return the workers to their families. Two workers originating from Rokan Hilir Regency were sent home aboard the Kubu Lestari Makmur bus service, while five laborers from Aceh were dispatched via a Makmur transit bus to Medan, North Sumatra, before continuing the final leg of their journey home.

Additionally, one worker from Ogan Ilir in South Sumatra and another from Cilacap in Central Java were placed on an intercity Antar Lintas Sumatera (ALS) bus. The remaining two workers from Jambi were safely sent back utilizing a coordinated combination of regional bus networks and travel shuttles directly to their home districts. ***