RI workers start returning home following Sabah conflict

Nurni Sulaiman, The Jakarta Post, Balikpapan | Archipelago | Tue, March 05 2013, 8:46 PM

Following armed conflict between Malaysian forces and followers of the Southern Philippines-based Sulu Sultanate in Sabah, Indonesian migrant workers have been forced to return home through cross-border regions in the northern part of East Kalimantan and northern Kalimantan, such as Nunukan and Sebatik.

East Kalimantan police spokesperson Sr.Comr.Antonius Wisnu Sutirta said on Tuesday that at least 18 households of Indonesian migrant workers in Malaysia returned home via Sebatik, Nunukan regency, East Kalimantan. However, he said, the police had not yet dispatched special forces to ensure security in the cross-border regions as there were no signs of mass exodus of Indonesian workers from the conflict area.

According to Wisnu, there are thousands of routes in the cross border regions that the Indonesian migrant workers could take to return home. “The police stations in the areas -- the Nunukan police precinct and the Sebatik police – have cooperated with their counterparts in the cross border areas, including the local administrations, so they will always be ready to anticipate anything related to the workers’ repatriation. Therefore, as of now, we don’t need to bring in more personnel to the area,” said Wisnu.

He said the conflict between the Malaysian forces and the Sulu Sultanate in Sabah took place in areas that were far from the Indonesian borders in Kalimantan, therefore it was still quite safe for Indonesian people who lived in the areas.

Similarly, the Indonesian military (TNI)’s Kodam VI Mulawarman spokesperson Col.Legowo W.R.Jatmiko said there was no additionalforces dispatched to the cross border areas. “Up until now, we have deployed 650 personnel from the Kodam VI Mulawarman’s Batallion 407,” he said.

Data shows that around 167 Indonesian migrant workers working at Sahabat 17 Felda Plantation in Lahad Datu, Sabah, an area known to be the basis of Sulu forces, have been repatriated.

East Kalimantan police chief Insp.Gen.Anas Yusuf said in a recent statement that the Indonesian police (Polri) paid adequate attention to issues related to the cross-border security and that personnel in the area was ready to anticipate cross-border related issues including armed conflicts and trafficking.

The government has recently agreed to establish North Kalimantan as a province. As the establishment of the province’s regional consultative forum (Muspida) is still underway, all security operations in the area are still coordinated under the East Kalimantan police office and Kodam VI Mulawarman. (ebf)