KUALA LUMPUR, March 19 — Stricter immigration regulations, frequent large-scale enforcement operations, and media coverage of arrests of undocumented migrants have led to Malaysia no longer being the top destination for Indonesian workers.
Many Indonesians are now seeking job opportunities in blue-collar sectors in European countries, Japan, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.
According to Berita Harian (BH), Indonesia’s Ambassador to Malaysia, Datuk Hermono, acknowledged that Malaysia has not been the primary destination for Indonesian workers over the past three years, with nearly none returning after extended stays in Indonesia.
He revealed that, before the Covid-19 pandemic, 1.13 million documented Indonesian workers were in Malaysia, while an estimated 1.5 million were undocumented, or classified as Pati.
“Before Covid-19, the number of registered Indonesian workers was 1.13 million, while the undocumented population was estimated at around 1.5 million, bringing the total to over 2.5 million.
“However, due to the pandemic and movement restrictions, many returned to Indonesia, and the latest figures show that only around 585,000 registered workers remain — a sharp decline compared to previous years,” he told BH.
As a result, Hermono is confident that the number of undocumented Indonesians in Malaysia has also dropped significantly.
“Based on my estimates, the number of Indonesians in Malaysia — whether documented or undocumented — now stands at approximately 1.5 million, or even lower.
“Even Malaysian statistics show that Indonesian workers are no longer the largest foreign workforce here, with Bangladeshi nationals now ranking first.
“Over the past three years, the number of Indonesian workers in Malaysia has dropped drastically. The Indonesian embassy is no longer busy until midnight; now, all processes are completed by 3pm,” BH quoted him as saying.
He acknowledged that Indonesian workers are drawn to other destinations due to Malaysia’s increasingly strict immigration regulations, including enforcement operations and arrests frequently reported in the media, which have deterred them from coming to the country.
He acknowledged that stricter immigration regulations in Malaysia, including frequent enforcement operations and media coverage of arrests, have deterred Indonesian workers from coming to the country.
Previously, Malaysia had set 31 May 2024 as the final date for hiring foreign workers due to an oversupply of labour, with exceptions for the plantation and domestic worker sectors.
As a result, Indonesians are increasingly seeking job opportunities in other destinations.
He also pointed out that Hong Kong, which had traditionally offered only domestic work, would soon open up formal employment opportunities for foreign workers, a shift similar to what’s happening in Singapore. This means that Indonesians now have more job options abroad and Malaysia is no longer their sole choice.
Bangladeshi workers now the largest foreign workforce
A BH check also found that, as of 30 September 2024, Bangladeshi workers constituted the largest group of foreign labourers in Malaysia, with 934,542 individuals (37.82 per cent), primarily employed in the manufacturing, construction, and services sectors.
Indonesian workers ranked second, with 595,811 individuals (24.11 per cent), mainly working in construction, plantations, domestic services (housemaids), and agriculture.
Nepalese workers, totalling 399,514, were largely employed in the manufacturing and services industries.
