The 90 Indonesian illegal workers whose wage dispute with a Malaysian employer made headlines here and back in their homeland, have found a powerful ally - former Indonesian president Abdurrahman Wahid or Gus Dur.

The workers are now staying with the politician, who is also a renowned Islamic scholar, at his house in Ciganjur, Jakarta.

They are in the process of sorting out their documents to return to Malaysia in order to fight for their wages. Their case has been filed with the Labour Department here by a lawyer hired by the Indonesian embassy.

"They are very determined to return to Malaysia to fight for their wages," said Gus Dur's daughter, Yenny Zannuba Wahid, when contacted today.

According to her, the workers, who claim to be cheated off RM150,000, have no money to return to their respective hometowns.

"It's painful for them to have worked day and night but not receive wages," she added.

Similar predicament

The Indonesians, who were working at a construction site in Damansara Damai, Selangor, have pointed the finger at sub-contractor Sri Mega Jaya (M) .

The main contractor of the project is Plato Construction (M) Sdn Bhd which is solely-owned by MK Land Holdings.

The workers have also sent a letter to MK Land Holdings, urging its executive chairperson Mustapha Kamal Abu Bakar to look into the matter.

MK Land has denied employing any illegal migrant workers or shortchanging them off their wages.

On Feb 18, the workers also filed a police report against Human Resources Minister Dr Fong Chan Onn based on his statement that Sri Mega Jaya had paid the wages, which according to him amounted to RM500,000, to an intermediary who had since absconded.

Upon advise from the Indonesian government, the 90 workers returned home at the eleventh hour before the fourth-month amnesty period for illegal immigrants expired on March 1.

Meanwhile, Yennie believes that there are thousands of Indonesian workers trapped in a similar dilemma.

In a related development, Gus Dur, who helms Indonesia's largest Islamic non-governmental organisation Nahdatul Ulamak, had a private meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

A source said Gus Dur personally told Najib to help the 90 Indonesian workers but Yenny, who was also at the meeting, claimed that no particular issue was discussed.

"We exchanged views on bi-lateral relation and workers issue. No particular issue was discussed," she added.