On January 24, a 50-year-old migrant worker was shot dead, and 4 others were injured after the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (APMM) opened fire on their boat for allegedly trespassing in waters off Tanjung Rhu Beach, Selangor.
In a statement on January 25, Indonesia’s foreign affairs ministry said a day after the incident, the shooting happened while the 5 of them were trying to leave Malaysia illegally.
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100 protestors gathered to throw eggs
The ministry has called for a full investigation into whether the APMM used excessive force, as reported by the South China Morning Post.
Following the incident, nearly 100 protesters from different rights groups and trade unions gathered outside the Malaysian embassy in Indonesia’s capital to throw eggs at it.
The eggs ended up covering Malaysia’s state symbol on the embassy gate, and the building itself had egg stains and broken shells all over it.
The group urged their president not to turn a blind eye
Wahyu Susilo, executive director of Migrant Care, an advocacy group for Indonesian migrant workers, said this was just another case in a long list of deaths involving Indonesian workers, allegedly at the hands of Malaysian authorities.
Migrant Care said their records showed at least 75 similar killings since 2005. The group urged Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto not to ignore these migrant deaths just to avoid tensions with Kuala Lumpur.
During a recent visit to Malaysia, Prabowo promised to work with the Malaysian government to address migrant worker issues.
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