KUALA LUMPUR, March 18 -- Stricter immigration regulations, frequent large-scale enforcement operations, and media coverage of arrests of undocumented migrants have led to Malaysia no longer being the top destination for Indonesian workers.

Many Indonesians are now seeking job opportunities in blue-collar sectors in European countries, Japan, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.

According to Berita Harian (BH), Indonesia's Ambassador to Malaysia, Datuk Hermono, acknowledged that Malaysia has not been the primary destination for Indonesian workers over the past three years, with nearly none returning after extended stays in Indonesia.

He revealed that, before the Covid-19 pandemic, 1.13 million documented Indonesian workers were in Malaysia, while an...