The Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection and Services Agency for the Riau Islands has set up monitoring and service posts for Indonesian migrant workers at ports and airports in Batam City during the 2025/2026 Christmas and New Year holidays.
Head of BP3MI Kepri Imam Riyadi in Batam, Friday, said BP3MI was also involved in Operation Candle Seligi 2025, especially to prevent the crime of human trafficking (TPPO) and the illegal (non-procedural) sending of Indonesian migrant workers.
"We have established special posts at ports and airports, integrated with the service and security posts for Operation Candle Seligi 2025, which is being carried out by the Riau Islands Regional Police," said Imam.
The middle-ranking National Police officer stated that the BP3MI service and supervision post would be operated on a special incidental basis during the 2025 Christmas and 2026 New Year holidays.
On a daily basis, said Imam, BP3MI Kepri has a help desk at every port and airport to provide services to Indonesian migrant workers who are departing or returning for leave.
In addition, the P2MI post and help desk are also tasked with monitoring the non-procedural sending of PMI by taking advantage of the Christmas and New Year holidays.
"During Christmas and New Year, we remain on standby. So, we have three officers at the post and help desk every day, and their job is to provide services and preventative measures," he said.
He stated that through strict supervision during the Christmas celebrations on Thursday (25/12), BP3MI Kepri succeeded in preventing the departure of a prospective non-procedural PMI at the Harbour Bay International Ferry Port in Batam City.
"The BP3MI Kepri officers on duty at the post discovered a passenger departing for Malaysia for the first time," he said.
After further investigation, he said, the passenger with the initials MNH (20) was sent by someone with the initials ML from Semarang to Malaysia, via transit in Batam.
"The modus operandi is that the victim (prospective illegal migrant worker) and the perpetrator who sends the migrant worker depart separately. The perpetrator departs first by boat in the morning, while the victim departs in the afternoon," said Imam.
It was also revealed that MNH, who had just graduated from high school, paid Rp. 4 million for the processing of travel documents and transferred Rp. 6 million to ML so he could work in Malaysia.
"MNH was promised to work in a shop, with a salary of IDR 8 million per month," said Imam.
After successfully preventing the departure of the prospective non-procedural PMI, he said, BP3MI Kepri coordinated with the Indonesian Consulate General and the Police LO in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, to prevent the alleged perpetrator of ML.
