February 9, 2026 | 10:00 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - For weeks, hundreds of Indonesian migrant workers have slept on straw mats inside an empty building in Khan Sen Sok, a district in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh, about a 30-minute drive from the Indonesian Embassy. They were former online scam operators, anxiously awaiting their turn to return home.
One of them was Intan Berliana, 30. She entered the shelter—roughly the size of four badminton courts—on Saturday, January 24, 2026. She had no money. Her passport was missing. “I ran away from the scam company,” Intan told Tempo at the shelter on Sunday, January 25, 2026.
The Medan native had worked in Bavet City, about 167 kilometers from Phnom Penh. Her boss shut down operations after Cambodian authorities intensified raids on scam companies. Instead of releasing his 30 employees, the owner attempted to sell them—including Intan—to a company in Vietnam. They could not leave because their employer held their passports.
They were transported by bus toward Vietnam. Near a plantation area close to the Cambodia-Vietnam border, the driver stopped. Intan and dozens of other Indonesian workers fled into the fields. Hours later, local police found them. “After being questioned at the police station, we were taken to the Indonesian Embassy in Phnom Penh,” Intan said.
Indonesians Join Foreign Troops, Army Chief of Staff: No Shortage of TNI Soldier Recruits
13 hari lalu
The Indonesian Army Chief of Staff (KSAD) Maruli states that recruitment process in the country is more rigorous than abroad.
Indonesia Repatriates 90 Citizens From Online Scam Centers in Myanmar
16 hari lalu
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has repatriated 90 Indonesian citizens who were stranded in online scams from the Myanmar-Thailand border.
5 Indonesians Held Hostage as Chinese Ship Hijacked off Somalia
19 hari lalu
A Chinese-flagged ship, Liao Dong Yu 578, was hijacked by pirates off Somalia on December 31, 2025. Crew members remained held captive.
Four Indonesian Vessel Crew Abducted off Gabon Coast
26 hari lalu
Armed group kidnapped sailors on the coast of Gabon, including four Indonesian crew members.
56 Indonesians Rescued from Myanmar Scam Rings Repatriated
8 Desember 2025
The Indonesian Embassy in Yangon announced the repatriation of 56 Indonesians involved in online scam and gambling operations in Myawaddy, Myanmar.
Indonesia Pushes Faster Repatriation of 9 Citizens Killed in Hong Kong Fire
6 Desember 2025
According to the latest figures as of Thursday, nine Indonesian citizens were confirmed among the fatalities in the Hong Kong apartment fire.
At COP30, Indonesians Call for Climate Justice, Forest Protection, and Inclusion
11 November 2025
COP30, often referred to as the "Forest COP," risks becoming another symbolic gathering with little concrete progress.
Indonesian Arrested in Albania for Alleged Baby Abandonment
9 November 2025
The police in Tirana, Albania, arrested five Indonesian migrant workers. One of them is suspected of abandoning a newly born baby.
Foreign Ministry Confirms No Indonesians on Global Sumud Flotilla Intercepted by Israel
2 Oktober 2025
The Foreign Ministry confirmed that none of the passengers on the Global Sumud Flotilla ship that was intercepted by Israel were Indonesian citizens.
Ministry: Indonesians Abroad Remain Safe as Typhoon Ragasa Batters China, Philippines
25 September 2025
The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that all Indonesian citizens in areas affected by Typhoon Ragasa are safe so far.
