TEMPO.CO, Kupang - As many as 39 workers from East Nusa Tenggara Province were deported from Malaysia due to their illegal status, head of Kupang's Placement and Protection Service Center (BP3TKI) in Kupang, Siwa, revealed.

"We have received an official letter from BP3TKI Nunukan that there are 39 NTT residents, who were deported from Malaysia, as they are illegal," he informed Antara in Kupang on Saturday.

He noted that dozens of deportees were caught in raids conducted by the Malaysian Government for not possessing official employment documents.

He remarked that most residents came from Flores Island, especially East Flores District and Lembata District.

In addition, there were six people from Rote Ndao District.

"Most of the deportees are from East Flores and are men," he pointed out.

He explained that the deportees were scheduled to depart from Nunukan, North Kalimantan Province, on January 26, 2019, aboard a Pelni ship.

Siwa said his party will facilitate the deportees through service posts that collaborated with non-governmental organizations and observer networks in the area.

"It will depend on the ship stop. If you stop at Maumere, it will be facilitated to travel overland to Larantuka, East Flores," he stated.

He added that it was the highest number of NTT residents being deported.

ANTARA