A man shouts slogans during a protest against what the demonstrators say are abuses suffered by Indonesian migrant workers in Malaysia, in front of the Malaysian embassy in Jakarta August 22, 2007. Around 21 Indonesian migrant workers have died this year in Malaysia, said Miftah Farid, chief of the Indonesian Migrant Workers Union. Currently more than 300,000 Indonesians are working in Malaysia.

For Risti Ariyani, the dream of working abroad and helping her family is over. Her contract with a computer components factory in Malaysia was abruptly canceled because of the global financial crisis, leaving her no choice but to return home to Central Java. “My family was counting on me,” the 20-year-old said. “Everyone, including my sisters now in school, depended on the money I sent back.” In 2008, some 200,000 Indonesian nationals were sent home from Malaysia because of the recession. Most come from rural areas of the country, where poverty is particularly rife. “Due to the global crisis, I see more migrant workers from other sectors returning,” said Choirul Hadi, secretary general of the Indonesian Migrant Workers Trade Union. Between 1,500 and 2,000 migrants are now returning through Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport every day, he said, with serious implications for thousands of families. …

Migrants Return Home From Working Abroad To Debt and Hardship

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