KUALA LUMPUR - Cambodia and Indonesia have agreed to strengthen their partnership on migrant worker protection amid growing regional labor mobility.

Chairman of the Cambodia Human Rights Committee (CHRC) Keo Remy, and Indonesia’s Minister of Human Rights Natalius Pigai, reaffirmed their commitment to improve support systems and safeguards for both Cambodian and Indonesian workers overseas during a bilateral meeting last Monday.

Pigai urged the CHRC to maintain its cooperation on migrant rights, stressing Indonesia’s increased focus on the wellbeing of its citizens in host countries.

“We hope to deepen our collaboration so that workers from both nations receive the protection and assistance they deserve, whether Indonesians in Cambodia or Cambodians in Indonesia,” he said in a statement.

Remy briefed the Indonesian delegation on Cambodia’s human rights situation and assured Pigai that the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training is actively monitoring the treatment, freedoms, and safety of all migrant workers, including Indonesians.

Both sides pledged to expand cooperation on regional human rights initiatives, including joint capacity-building programs to strengthen institutional responses to migrant worker challenges.

Remy also updated Pigai on the Cambodia –Thailand border crisis, reporting on the 18 Cambodian soldiers captured after the ceasefire, who have now been held by Thai authorities for 118 days.

He accused Thailand of using recent landmine incidents to escalate tensions.

“Thailand keeps using the landmine case as a pretext to escalate tensions,” he said.

He added that if the incidents occurred on Cambodian soil, it would show Thai troops crossed the border unlawfully, while if they took place on Thai territory, then the responsibility lies with Thailand, not Cambodia.

Remy further noted that Cambodia still faces vast areas contaminated by landmines left after the civil wars of the 1980s.

He appealed to Indonesia to encourage Thailand to respect its obligations under the Kuala Lumpur Joint Declaration and international norms for peaceful conflict resolution.

“Thailand is undermining ASEAN unity and violating the association’s core ideal of ‘One Vision, One Identity, One Community’,” he said.

Pigai also requested Cambodia’s support for Indonesia’s bid to chair the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council in 2026, highlighting Indonesia’s ambition to play a larger role in global human rights.

Pigai invited the CHRC chairman to a high-level Asia-Pacific human rights forum to be hosted by Indonesia in 2026.

“This forum was created to help countries in the Asia-Pacific region build a shared understanding, enhance cooperation, and strengthen institutional capacity in addressing human rights concerns,” he said.

Remy said the CHRC would prepare a report for the Cambodian government to consider Indonesia’s request, reaffirming Cambodia’s commitment to peace and human rights.

He also accepted the invitation and thanked Indonesia for its ongoing technical training programs for Cambodian officials, proposing that focal points be designated from both sides to coordinate future training activities.