ABSTRACT
Joseph Chinyong Liow Introduction Recent indicators estimate that probably up to one million Indonesians are currently employed in Malaysia illegally, reflecting arguably the largest flow of illegal migrant labor in Southeast Asia and the largest case of illegal migration after the movements across the U.S.-Mexico border.1 While crucial to Malaysian economic development, Indonesian laborers, particularly those without valid work permits and travel documents, have on many occasions also been indicted for criminal activities. In response, Malaysian authorities have reacted by portraying Indonesian illegal migrants as a threat to national security.
