Cane and jail for illegal immigrants

THE increasing wave of Indonesians fleeing their crisis-hit country has prompted Singapore to follow neighbouring Malaysia's lead and express concern.

While Singapore warned yesterday that anyone caught entering the country illegally could be jailed for up to six months and caned, Malaysia said it would use the Internal Security Act, which provides for detention without trial, against those forging identity cards for illegal immigrants.

"The problem of illegal immigrants from Indonesia has been of serious concern to the government in the last few years," Singapore's Home Ministry said. "The situation is likely to get even more serious as the economic situation in Indonesia deteriorates."

Indonesia, with more than 200 million people, is now experiencing its worst financial crisis in decades, triggering fears of an exodus of economic migrants to neighbouring countries.

Hundreds of thousands of Indonesians already work in Malaysia and thousands are employed in Singapore, mostly on construction sites and as domestic helpers.

The Singapore Home Ministry said police and immigration officers were stepping up enforcement at sea and on land to stop illegal immigrants.

Malaysia's Deputy Home Minister, Tajol Rosli Ghazali, said the forgery of identity cards was a threat to national security.

His announcement followed the arrest of foreigners believed to be in possession of forged cards during a series of police raids on squatter colonies at the weekend.

Following the discovery of the forgeries, police launched a nationwide check on identity cards.

In a related move, the Malaysian government announced it would bring up the "alarming" influx of Indonesian illegal immigrants at the next meeting of the Malaysia-Indonesia Joint Commission.

It also ordered the Home Ministry to speed up the deportation of arrested illegal immigrants.

The latest developments reflect Kuala Lumpur's heightened anxiety over the increasing number of boatloads of Indonesians landing in Malaysia because of food shortages at home.

However, police reported a lull in arrivals at the weekend, when only one boat containing 24 Indonesians was intercepted compared, to 20 to 30 boatloads a day since last month. About 4000 Indonesians were detained last month.

 Published in the South China Morning Post. Mar 10, 1998