Indonesian couple lose years of savings to human smuggling syndicate

KOTA BARU: An Indonesian couple who had spent years saving money to pursue their dream of a better life in Selangor saw their hopes dashed when they were arrested while being smuggled into Malaysia with their two young children.

The husband and his 30-year-old wife, accompanied by their one- and six-year-old children, had paid RM3,500 each for the adults and one child to a human trafficking syndicate to bring them into the country.

The 33-year-old odd-job worker, who wished to be known as Iskandar, said his family had been saving their hard-earned money for years, hoping to find work in Selangor to improve their living conditions.

He said their journey began early this week when they flew from Aceh, Indonesia, to Thailand before crossing the Golok River into Kelantan by boat yesterday morning.

The couple were travelling with the wife's 30-year-old cousin, who shared their aspiration of seeking a better livelihood in Malaysia.

However, Iskandar said their long-held dreams came to an abrupt end about 4am yesterday when they were intercepted by the General Operations Force Seventh Battalion in Jalan Dato' Lundang.

"My family's journey, fuelled by years of savings and hopes of securing jobs in Selangor, ended before we could reach our intended destination," he said.

The five were among eight undocumented migrants detained during an operation conducted by the battalion.

The other three were two Myanmar nationals and another Indonesian, who had also entered Malaysia without valid travel documents.

A 35-year-old Malaysian woman, believed to be a migrant smuggler, was also arrested for transporting the eight migrants in a rented Perodua Myvi.

The woman had allegedly picked up the migrants in Kampung Baru Nelayan, Tumpat, and was ferrying them to Kota Baru when the vehicle was intercepted by the GOF.