TEMPO.CO, Jember - Idah (40), an Indonesian migrant worker from Jember, East Java, has died in Malaysia. She worked as a domestic helper. "Her body has just arrived earlier this morning. We're going to bury it soon," her son Ali Hamid said today.
Hamid said he received the news of his mother's illness on Friday last week, September 14. Jember Transmigration and Work Force Agency informed him that her mother was being treated at Fatra Asih hospital, Lubuk Pakam, Deli Serdang. "We couldn’t go to Deli Serdang because we had no money. Yesterday, we were told that our mother has died," he said.
Sugeng Heri Mulyono, Head of Placement Section of Jember Transmigration and Work Force Agency said the officials could finally find Idah’s family after a one-week search. He said the agency received the information from the Indonesian Embassy and the National Labor Placement and Protection Agency (BNP2TKI) about five Indonesian migrant workers deported from Malaysia. They were deported for not having legal documents to work abroad. "Four of those migrant workers are form Banyuwangi and another one from Jember," he said.
Due to the limited budget, the officials facilitated Idah's family to pick up her body at Juanda Airport, Surabaya on yesterday. "We have also coordinated with the Indonesian Embassy and the BNP2TKI about the rights of the deceased," Sugeng said.
Other than looking for Idah's address, the Jember Transmigration and Work Force Agency has also been looking for the address of two other migrant workers – Neti and the late Dedy Misnadin. The officials have already found Neti’s family in Patrang district while Dedy’s family was found in Sumberbaru district. "Dedy died in Malaysia in a traffic accident in January. We were asked to find the address of his family to finish the insurance matters," said Sugeng.
MAHBUB DJUNAIDY