The incident occurred early in the morning, around 3:00 AM local time, when the APMM intercepted a boat carrying five undocumented migrant workers. According to Fanny Wahyu Kurniawan, Head of the Indonesian Migrant Worker Protection Center in Riau, the deceased victim, identified as B, was likely from Riau. Details are still pending, but the Indonesian government is pushing for full transparency from Malaysia. Four other victims, two from Riau, two from North Sumatra, and one from the Riau Islands, are currently receiving medical treatment in Malaysia.

In response to the attack, Indonesian authorities are making efforts to repatriate the bodies of the deceased and ensure that the survivors receive the necessary support. The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Migrant Protection Center are collaborating to facilitate the process, which is expected to take two to three days.

In Malaysia, the Indonesian Embassy has called for an urgent investigation. The Indonesian parliament’s Vice Speaker, Cucun Ahmad Syamsurizal, has urged the government to provide full protection to the migrant workers who survived the attack and are still under the supervision of the APMM. He criticized the use of firearms by Malaysian authorities, calling it an excessive response. “A softer approach should have been used,” he stated, emphasizing the need for diplomatic intervention and a transparent investigation.

The demand for justice continues to grow, with leaders from various political parties calling for a thorough probe into the incident. Saleh Partaonan Daulay, Vice Chair of the National Mandate Party (PAN), has called for a transparent investigation based on human rights and justice principles. He expressed concern that the APMM has yet to grant Indonesian officials access to the survivors, fueling fears of a cover-up. Daulay also emphasized the need for the Indonesian government to support the victims’ families and ensure that the legal process is properly followed.

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