
JAKARTA, Indonesia — Following the tragic death of an Indonesian migrant worker, a group of irate citizens gathered outside the Malaysian embassy in Jakarta on Thursday, expressing their outrage by throwing eggs at the building. This protest was fueled by the incident that took place on January 24, when a 50-year-old migrant lost his life, and four others sustained injuries after the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (APMM) opened fire on their vessel, claiming it had illegally entered Malaysian waters off Tanjung Rhu Beach in Selangor state.
Indonesian officials in Riau province reported receiving the man’s remains on Wednesday, intensifying the public outcry. Approximately 100 protestors, including members of various human rights organizations and labor unions, came together in a prominent area of downtown Jakarta. They expressed their anger as egg shells and yolks covered Malaysia’s national emblem displayed at the embassy’s entrance, while the building bore visible signs of the egging. Protestors carried placards demanding the prosecution and imprisonment of the Malaysian police responsible for the shooting of the Indonesian national.
Following the incident, Indonesia’s Foreign Affairs Ministry issued a statement on January 25, acknowledging that the shooting occurred while the five Indonesian workers were purportedly attempting to exit Malaysia unlawfully. The ministry has since called for a comprehensive investigation into the possibility of excessive force being used by the APMM during the encounter.
The turmoil surrounding this incident has drawn considerable attention across Indonesia, particularly after a distressing video surfaced on social media last week, depicting several Indonesian migrant workers with gunshot wounds near their boat. The footage showed the victims, who struggled against the pain, with a colleague’s lifeless body nearby, which amplified calls for accountability.
This tragic event is part of a troubling trend, as Wahyu Susilo, the executive director of Migrant Care—an advocacy organization for Indonesian migrant laborers—pointed out that there have been at least 75 reported incidents of Indonesian migrant workers dying under questionable circumstances involving Malaysian authorities since 2005. The organization urged Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto not to overlook these tragic occurrences in order to maintain diplomatic relations with Malaysia.
On his recent state visit to Malaysia, President Subianto pledged to work collaboratively with the Malaysian government to address the issues concerning migrant workers. He stated, “We will resolve our bilateral issues, including those related to labor. We have agreed to enhance collaboration across all sectors,” during a joint statement made with Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, just days following the fatal incident.