REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, TRENGGALEK -- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has repatriated the remains of an Indonesian laborer to his hometown in Trenggalek, East Java, after he allegedly became a victim of murder at his work place in the Johor Baru region, Malaysia on May 13.

"The process took a while due to a forensic investigation conducted by the Malaysian Police Force regarding the alleged murder," said East Java Workforce, Transmigration and Population Services staff, Arif Widyo Haryono, in Trenggalek, on early Thursday.

The remains of the Indonesian laborer named Imam Shodiq (20) arrived at the funeral home in Sambirejo village, Trenggalek district at 11.30 PM, on Wednesday night.

"We are not in a position to release any statements regarding the victim's cause of death. At this point, the supposition is murder. The Malaysian Police Force is investigating the case at the moment," said Haryono, who was appointed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to escort the return process for Imam Shodiq's remains.

Meanwhile, the Trenggalek Police chief, Assistant Commissioner I Made Agus Prasetya confirmed that Shodiq had died from blunt force trauma to the chest, as well as strangulation to the neck.

Shodiq's body was found in a water reservoir near his work place. He was known to have spent the last year in Malaysia as a laborer. His family was informed of his death by fellow Indonesian workers in Malaysia on June 5.

Regarding the insurance and compensation policies applicable in this case, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' staff member, Minggu admitted that they are not set on whether the deceased is legally eligible to receive insurance claims.

"The deceased entered Malaysia illegally, in a sense that he did not go through the proper workforce procedures, and for that reason, it is currently undecided whether he will receive insurance and compensation or not," he explained.

According to the National Agency for Placement and Protection of Indonesian Workers (BNP2TKI), Malaysia has been placed first on the list of 25 biggest countries to recruit Indonesian workers in various fields. During the first half of 2016 alone, 38,115 workers were sent to Malaysia.

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