Monday, August 12, 2002		Feature

Hi-tech check on illegal immigrants
Achmad Sukarsono

MALAYSIA and Indonesia signed a pact on immigration technology but that could be as far as meetings among top officials go in formal agreements about the sensitive subject of illegal workers.

The signing came as Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri held talks at this resort island, with Thailand's Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra joining them later.

No document is expected from Mahathir and Sukarnoputri that delves into the immediate matter of Malaysia's expulsion of hundreds of thousands of illegal Indonesian workers, and its threat to jail or cane overstayers.

The memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed by their ministers involves "technology such as the use of chips in passports to (achieve) a more secure system," said Indonesian Minister for Justice and Human Rights, Yusril Mahendra.

Eventually, he told reporters: "One immigration checkpoint to another checkpoint will be connected electronically. In the longer term, Indonesia and Malaysia won't use passports anymore...no more manual way."

On the broader questions of Malaysia's tough approach to illegal workers, Mahendra said "it's not easy to suspend the implementation of the law.

It's also not an easy formulation to enforce the immigration laws because the number (of illegal immigrants) is too big. I haven't tried to convince anyone about this issue."