‘Excessive force’? Indonesia wants Malaysia to probe patrol officers’ shooting of migrants that left 1 dead

“We are also assisting the families of the victims with legal aid and arranging the repatriation of the deceased’s body … We are still confirming their identities and contacting their families,” Christina Aryani, the deputy minister for migrant workers protection said, as quoted by the Jakarta Globe.  

Aryani also told local media on Sunday that her ministry is looking to have a meeting with the Malaysian government to discuss preventive measures to ensure similar incidents do not happen again. 

The meeting, she said, will address strategies to handle undocumented Indonesian migrant workers while emphasising the importance of upholding human rights. 

Aryani noted that the five migrant workers were not carrying identification cards or travel documents at the time of the incident. 

Hussein said that the incident was being investigated under Section 307 of the Penal Code for attempted murder and Section 186 of the Penal Code for obstructing civil servants from discharging their duties, the New Straits Times reported on Saturday.

The police also said that the boat involved in the incident could have carried up to 20 people and some might still be at large. The boat however had no dangerous weapons or illegal items, Hussein said. 

“Efforts are underway to track the remaining suspects,” Hussein said on Saturday, as quoted by the New Straits Times.

He added that the police had already recorded statements of one of the four injured foreigners, as of Saturday.

Separately, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto arrived in Putrajaya on Monday, for a state visit at the invitation of Malaysian king, Sultan Ibrahim. 

Prabowo is scheduled to hold a meeting with Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to exchange views on bilateral cooperation and “regional and international issues of mutual interest”, according to a press release by Malaysia’s Foreign Affairs Ministry.

A report by local media Malay Mail said that Indonesia’s Migrant Workers Protection Minister Abdul Kadir Karding will be among the delegates accompanying Prabowo.

Additional reporting by Denny Armandhanu