KUALA LUMPUR - According to VOI, Minister of Protection for Indonesian Migrant Workers (P2MI) Mukhtarudin has reminded the public that Cambodia is not an official destination for Indonesian migrant workers, speaking in Central Jakarta, last Tuesday.

He said that any Indonesian working in Cambodia has likely gone abroad illegally, as the government has never approved the country as a placement destination.

"Regarding the issue of existing workers specifically for Cambodia, I want to explain that Cambodia is not a placement country.

"So the government, especially KP2MI, has never decided to designate Cambodia as a country for the placement of migrant workers," said Mukhtarudin.

Mukhtarudin explained that before a country is designated for worker placement, the government must ensure it provides proper protection, social security, and safety for foreign workers.

He added that a bilateral agreement or memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Indonesia and the host country must also be in place to make the placement legal.

"We place it as a placement country with at least three conditions.

"First, the regulatory aspect, social security or protection, then also we must have an agreement or an MoU first. We cannot place people in unsafe countries," he explained.

He said many cases involving Indonesian workers in Cambodia are linked to human trafficking networks, particularly those operating illegal online scam centres.

Mukhtarudin assured that the government continues to assist and protect all Indonesian citizens overseas, including those who left through unofficial channels.

"Even if what is happening now is to go illegally, TIP, and others, but the state will still be present to facilitate our problematic citizens abroad," said Mukhtarudin.

He added that Myanmar is in a similar situation and is also not an approved placement destination for Indonesian migrant workers.

"So I think about Cambodia, including Myanmar, maybe soon the Myanmar case will appear again. The case is almost the same. So this is also not our placement country," he added.