NUNUKAN, NORTH KALIMANTAN — A number of 368 Indonesian Migrant Workers have been repatriated from the Kota Kinabalu Depot Tahanan Imigrasi (DTI) (DTI Sandakan, Paparkimanis, Mangatal) and DTI Tawau Sabah Malaysia on October 12-13, 2022 to Indonesia through Nunukan Regency.
A number of 135 deportees were repatriated from Tawau Malaysia, all of whom were adult men and women. Meanwhile, repatriation from Kota Kinabalu was 233 with details of DTI Sandakan 65 people, DTI Kinabalu City 57 people, and Paparkimanis 114 people. Adult males 173 people, women 45, and children 15 people.
Deportations always carry deep sorrow. The results of the health check of The Dompet Dhuafa Health Post recorded as many as 78 deportees (13 female patients and 65 male patients) who suffered from different illnesses since they were in prison as well as DTI Tawau and Kota Kinabalu. Not a few suffer from Dyspepsia, hemorrhoid, myalgia dd, nutritional deficiencies, rhinitis, cephalgia, Acute Respiratory Infection (ISPA), tinea corporis, pyoderma, gastrovascular muscle atrophy, scabies, Sust. Tuberculosis, Diarrhea, Gastritis, DM, Hypertension.
There were 2 (two) female deportees who were referred to Nunukan Regional Hospital. One of the referral patients was later declared dead, a mother from East Flores, NTT. Another mother is still in critical condition and has to be separated from her daughter who is still 3 years old because she is in temporary care in Asyiyah Ruhama Nunukan Foundation by KBMB with BP2MI Nunukan.
According to statements from several DTI mangatal deportees, Kota Kinabalu is indeed quite a struggle. Their return journey had to take 12 hours with their legs chained in the truck crammed with hungry and thirsty stomachs and some in a state of illness. So that when they arrived at Nunukan their condition looked weak and lethargic. Some deportees to walk from the ship to the port of Tunon Taka only had to use wheelchairs. There were also those who limped while carrying the rest of the clothes they had.
“This emergency and very concerning condition is the main focus of the Dompet Dhuafa Healthy Post together with KBMB (Koalisi Buruh Migran Berdaulat) working to provide Aksi Layanan Sehat (ALS) and encourage the Indonesian government to be more pro-active in handling and preventing the inhumane deportation process,” said Aslam Syah Muda, Dompet Dhuafa Advocacy, (Sunday, 10/16/2022).
In the future, Dompet Dhuafa Healthy Post will continue to be in the Nunukan flats considering that the deportation of Indonesian migrant workers has become a routine agenda of the Malaysian government. The existence of Dompet Dhuafa Healthy Post will
At the same time, Dompet Dhuafa together with KBMB invited relevant stakeholders and the community to pay attention to this problem. In order to prevent similar incidents happened again. (Dompet Dhuafa / Aan / Dhika)