Recently, Judha Nugraha, the Director of Indonesian Citizen Protection at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia, stated that according to records from the Cambodian Immigration Department, there are currently 89,000 Indonesian migrant workers holding residence permits in Cambodia, but only 17,000 have registered with the Indonesian Embassy in Phnom Penh.
Recently, Judha said: "There are 72,000 Indonesian migrant workers who have not reported their presence in Cambodia to the embassy. According to the embassy's estimates, most of these unregistered individuals work in the gambling industry."
Judha emphasized that most Indonesian migrant workers in Cambodia have voluntarily chosen to work in online gambling companies and should not be considered victims of employment scams. He pointed out that the main reason these workers are reluctant to register is that they are aware that the industry is illegal in Indonesia, although it is legal in Cambodia.
The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, citing the 2017 Law No. 18 on the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers, stated that all Indonesian workers employed in the gambling industry in Cambodia have not departed in accordance with the relevant legal provisions.
Although the Ministry of Foreign Affairs cannot pursue these unregistered workers under international law, they will face corresponding consequences upon their return to Indonesia.
Judha said: "According to the 2006 Law No. 23 on Population Administration, these workers will only be subject to an administrative fine of 1 million Indonesian Rupiah, which does not constitute a criminal offense."
He acknowledged that the administrative penalties for failing to register are relatively lenient, which may weaken the enthusiasm of Indonesian citizens to report to the embassy. Therefore, he noted that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs faces difficulties in handling complaints related to unregistered Indonesian workers.
Judha also pointed out that the phenomenon of Indonesian citizens not proactively registering abroad is not limited to Cambodia, as similar issues are common in other countries as well.
