Indonesia's Manpower Minister Fahmi Idris said today he would visit Malaysia early next month to discuss the repatriation of thousands of Indonesian illegal workers.

Idris told reporters he would leave on Nov 2 but senior officials from the neighbouring countries would meet to discuss the issue in Malaysia beforehand.

Under tough laws introduced in Malaysia two years ago, illegal immigrants face jail sentences of up to five years or fines of up to RM10,000 ringgit, or both, plus whipping.

But Kuala Lumpur has decided to pardon illegal Indonesian workers if they return home within a specified time. Press reports say they have till January.

Malaysian officials have said that around 700,000 to 800,000 Indonesian migrant workers are illegals and would be repatriated.

Foreign Minister Hasan Wirayuda said senior officials would be sent to Malaysia to discuss technicalities of the repatriation.

Racing against time

Wirayuda said the government would set up facilities in areas where there are many Indonesian migrants, in addition to those at the Indonesian embassy and the consulate general in Malaysia, to cater for returning workers.

He said that apart from issuing the necessary travel documents, the posts will also allow them to buy ferry and airline tickets so that they will not fall prey to scalpers.

"We are racing with relatively limited time," Wirayuda said.

He said he believed about half of the estimated 700,000 illegal Indonesian migrant workers in Malaysia will use the amnesty period to return home.

In August Malaysia delayed the deportation of hundreds of thousands of illegal Indonesian workers after Jakarta warned that a crackdown before its Sept 20 presidential election could hurt relations.

Hundreds of thousands of illegal Indonesian workers fled Malaysia in July and August 2002 following the introduction of the tough new law. The Jakarta government at the time was ill prepared to handle them.

Many of those returning from Sabah and Sarawak headed initially to the town of Nunakan in Indonesia's East Kalimantan. But overcrowded facilities contributed to the death of at least 37 migrant workers from various diseases.