According to the President, the TKIs did not belong to those being maltreated but they had committed crimes or violated the laws in the host countries.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said 200 Indonesians were currently facing the death penalty overseas, with Malaysia hosting the largest number of such cases.

"From the notes made by the ministries, including the foreign affairs ministry, the justice and human rights ministry, and the manpower and transmigration ministry, the largest number of fellow Indonesians facing the death penalty is in Malaysia, after that Saudi Arabia, China and Singapore," President Yudhoyono said when chairing a meeting on the Task Force of Indonesian Migrant Workers (TKIs) here Friday.

According to the President, the TKIs did not belong to those being maltreated but they had committed crimes or violated the laws in the host countries.

The head of state said it was inconceivable that a legal system would penalize somebody who was innocent.

He said of the 200 Indonesians facing the death penalty abroad, 70 percent was involved in drug trafficking.

"It`s harsh, our country also imposes heavy punishment and we also sentence people to death or 20 years for those involved in drug-related crimes," he said.

In addition to narcotic crimes, 28 percent had committed murders, he said.

The government had managed to help set free some of those facing the death penalty abroad, get reduction of their punishment or even obtain pardons, he said, adding that the government would keep on helping them.

"I call it not an easy task. Many people say it is a mission impossible, but there is a Divine way, the impossible could become possible," the president said.

Meanwhile, according to foreign affairs ministry records,

a total of 216 Indonesian migrant workers are facing the death penalty in four foreign countries.

"Some 117 migrant workers are facing the death penalty in Malaysia, 20 in China, 17 in Saudi Arabia and two in Singapore," the director of Indonesian citizens` protection and legal entities of the ministry of foreign affairs, Tatang Razak, said in a discussion on "Protection of Migrant Workers Abroad" here on Friday.

According to data, in 2010 the foreign ministry through its representative offices abroad handled 15,766 cases and until March this year it had handled 1,482 cases.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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