Political Participation of Indonesian Migrant Worker in Malaysia:

Political Education’s Perspective in General Election of 2009 and

2014

Ana Sabhana

Azmy and Suryani

Universitas Islam Negeri Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, Indonesia

Keywords: Political Participation, Indonesian Migrant Workers, Political Education, Election

Abstract: This article discusses the weakness of political participation of Indonesian migrant workers in Malaysia. The

increasing number of political participation in the election 2014 compared to 2009 is just because of the figure

factor. The implementation of political participation requires a proper political education for the migrant

workers. This research uses the qualitative and in-depth interview as the method of data collection. It applies

participation theory, state theory, protection theory, also the concept of political education. The researcher

finds that Indonesia’s government does not socialize the political education as an essential alternative to

increase political participation of Indonesian migrant workers in the election. The government also manages

the status document of Indonesian migrant worker in Malaysia, tries to repair the system and referendum

mechanism by coming directly to society. The immigrant workers and election organizers need political

education in order to make a better election process.

1 INTRODUCTION

The election is the symbol of democracy in a country;

it proves that there is a process of democratization

which involves the society in one nation. It is also the

medium of the elites to reach specific power in the

government. So the political participation in the

election is essential and needed to vote who is going

to be the representative in the government. Thus, all

element of citizens including migrant workers in the

overseas need to participate in every election that the

country holds.

The placement of Indonesian migrant workers in

Malaysia had been the second highest position after

Saudi Arabia since 2012. Malaysia becomes one of

the most favorite destinations for the workers because

of the geographical factor and the same language. The

data about the placement of Indonesian migrant

workers to Malaysia that taken from BNP2TKI

(National Body of Placement and Protection of

Indonesian Workers), mention that Malaysia has a

highest position compare to Taiwan, Saudi Arabia,

Hongkong, Singapore in 2016 from the placement of

Indonesian migrant workers. Malaysia (87.616

migrant workers), Taiwan (77.087 migrant workers),

Saudi Arabia (13.535 migrant workers), Hongkong

(14.434 migrant workers), and Singapore (17.700

migrant workers).

Mostly Indonesian migrant workers that sent to

several destination country is women and only had

junior high school and elementary school as their

education level with their working destination as

wokers in informal sector. By lowest education level,

they do not have many choices to work in, except

informal sector. Half of them choose to work in the

wood industry as farming workers.

With the lacking of educational experience,

migrant workers are facing difficulty to compete in

the formal sector. The level of education influences

one’s quality. It also impacts migrant workers ability

to understand the rights, rules, and obligation they

supposed to do. Many of them get through violence

in their workplace for their lacking in understanding

their rights and regulations of working. The worse

part was they when they got the lousy treatment; most

of them do not know to whom they need to report the

incident. Educational background also impacts their

political awareness including to participate in the

general election of 2009 and 2014.

The researcher conducted by NGO on the

protection of Indonesian migrant workers stated that

the election of 2009 was not running well. The

380

Azmy, A. and Suryani, .

Political Participation of Indonesian Migrant Worker in Malaysia: Political Education’s Perspective in General Election of 2009 and 2014.

DOI: 10.5220/0009931903800387

In Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Recent Innovations (ICRI 2018), pages 380-387

ISBN: 978-989-758-458-9

majority of Indonesian migrant workers including

those who work in Malaysia, could not vote and use

their rights in the election. Migrant Care found that in

the election, 1.850 voters came to the voting place and

45.000 who voted by post. In total. 46.850 voters

attended the election, but 831.750 final voters listed

in the data. It indicates that not all immigrant workers

whose their names registered in final voters list

participated in the election.

The number of participant in the election of 2014

increased with 8.968 voters voted in the legislative

election. The observation of Migrant Care on the

election in 2009 was less than 20% of Indonesian

immigrant workers used their political rights, and

only 5% of workers could use their right (CARE,

2014). Although there was a distinction on the

number of the election in 2009 and 2014, the problem

still occurred in the election. One of the issues

happened is in the final voter's list, voters who voted

from abroad by total 2.010.280 with 873 voting

places spread out in several in Indonesian

representative offices. Based on that number, Migrant

Care predicted that there were still 4.5 million

Indonesian workers who did not register their names

to be voters. Hundreds of thousand voters in final

voters list also had invalid data, including the double

name in the voting places. The number of migrant

workers political participation in the election of 2014

went up. However, there is a question arising that

whether the increase of the number due to the double

name that occurred in the field.

Regarding the rules, there is any statement from

UU Pemilu No.08/2012 which stated the situation of

the voters who work or live abroad. The other

problem that appeared was the mechanism of voting

which caused by the working hours of the immigrant,

the working place, and minimum supervision of the

voting process that used some methods in conduction

the voting such as Dropbox and sending the ballot

paper by post.

Two questions stated in this paper. First, how is

the political participation of Indonesian migrant

workers in Malaysia in the election of 2014 compared

to 2009? Second, how is the effort of government in

term of increasing the political participation of

Indonesian migrant workers in Malaysia?

This paper uses a qualitative approach for the data

that sourced from face to face interview with the

interviewee and also analyzing toward written data of

supervising report of the general election in Malaysia

2009 and 2014. Primer data obtained by interview to

Anis Hidayah as Director of Migrant CARE and Siti

Badriyah as supervisor of the 2014 election in

Malaysia, and one of an activist who focuses on the

political right of migrant workers.

2 METHODOLOGY

The study of this research is by using several

methods:

2.1 Research Approach

This approach of this is qualitative analysis. This

approach aims to get the whole picture and in-depth

research. The purpose of this research is to answer

more than “what,” but also “why” and “how.”

Qualitative research is based on the subjective result,

interpretative and contextual data, whereas this

method tries to control and do not use those elements

(Aurbach & Silverstain, 2003).

2.2 Research Type

The type of this research is descriptive analysis, and

it describes why the increasing number of political

participation between two elections. Also, it aims to

find the solution to the rights of Indonesian migrant

workers.

2.3 Collecting Data Method

In this qualitative research, there are things done:

a. Observation: the researcher records the detail

because of the possibilities of asking significant

things. The researcher takes notes and records it

for the documentation (Verba, Nie, Norman, &

Jae-On, 1978). This research dedicated to analyst,

study and collect the data that relate to the

democratization of political right, political

participation of Indonesia migrant workers in the

election.

b. Interview: the researcher interviewed NGO’s that

took part in the protection of Indonesian migrant

workers, such as Migrant CARE. The interview

was done to the Director of Migrant CARE, Anis

Hidayah and Siti Badriyah as the Head of Section.

c. Collecting Data: By searching literature, books,

journal, internet and other sources that relate to

the research.

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381

3 POLITICAL PARTICIPATION

AND STATE CONCEPT

Sidney Verba, Norman H. Nie, Jae-On Kim on their

book titled Participation and Political Equality

mention that democracy has developed in two things.

First, by expanding the number of political rights and

second, number of people that have rights. A citizen

comes to use their political right, whereas that right

needed political influence: the right to vote, right to

work for political party or organization, to work in

government, also the freedom of speech. However,

political right represented a chance that came to

people. A citizen can choose or not choose (Verba,

Nie, Norman, & Jae-On, 1978). The relation between

participation, stratification of socio economic, and the

equality that analyzed in the book of Sydney Verba,

used the relatives data from developed society or less

developed.

Participation differs in two types of society. In

developing society, a problem happens about

mobilization. In the developed nation, the problem is

more focusing on justice. In the developing country,

the problem of participation involves society

mobilization and social participation. The changes in

social structure increase the number of literate and

educated people. Those changes served a motivation

and source for political development on individual

part. They became aware on political world, learning

the norms of political society and expanding the

cognitive ability that need for political activity.

(Verba, Nie, Norman, & Jae-On, 1978)

Meredith Rolfe in his book, Voter Turnout; A

Social Theory of Political Participation stated that

voters compare to people who do not vote, can be

seen from the political interest. An active participant

cares to the political outcome, prefer to participate

compared to the inactive participant or independent

who are careless to the result. If so, why some people

decided to vote and some not? Rolfe seeing this thing

from the social perspective on voters, came from the

conditional choice approach. The political

participation theory that seeing from social

perspective, placed that voter not only in social

context, but also assumed logic that less familiar on

decisions. The theory of social participation do not

talk on individual motif and the existing reason, but

can serve good explanation on the variation empirical

documentation in voter context. For the example, in

the network structure and social location of citizens

in the demographic context (Meredith Rolfe, 2012).

Max Weber stated the understanding of the state

as the human community that succeeds in claiming a

monopoly on the legitimate use of physics power in

the definitive territory (Weber, 1946). In this context,

the state is the only institution that has a right to use

violence instrument to rules its territory and

members. In detail, in his other writing, Weber

explained the identity of primer formal modern state;

has a law description and the administration that bend

to the changes toward legislation, being the reference

of the activity of administrative staff, also regulated

by legislation ( Weber, 1947).

According to the literacy process, Bleich said that

the process is reliable if we see it as the thing that can

change people lives (Gale, 1994). Political literacy is

not only the political knowledge but also the way that

make citizen to be active and pushes them to

participate formally or voluntarily in the politics.

Bernard Crick in the Essays on Citizenship stated that

political literacy is ‘a compound of knowledge, skills,

and attitudes to be developed together, each one

conditioning the other two’ (Gale, 1994). The basic

of political literacy then a practical understanding on

concepts, that pictured from the daily of life and

languages.

There is some knowledge that ideally owned by

someone, and that thing politically made society

literate; (1) basic information about some issues; who

hold the power, where money coming from, how the

institution walk, (2) how to actively involved used the

knowledge and understanding the nature of issue, (3)

how to predict the most effective way on the solving

issues, (4) how to recognize how good the policy

objectivity that has been reached and the settled

existing issues, (5) how to understand the other vision

and their justification for their action (Gale, 1994).

4 THE ENHANCEMENT

POLITICAL PARTICIPATION

OF MIGRANT WORKERS IN

THE ELECTION

The political enhancement participation of migrant

workers regarding immigrant workers political rights

is part of the implementation of functional

democracy. Several things become the drive of the

political enhancement participation in the election of

2014;

4.1 The Improvement of Indonesia’s

Election System Abroad

Indonesian election system abroad, especially in

Malaysia, has several types: First, Dropbox, this

system is to put the ballot box in the center of the

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voting places. Voters can use it anytime to put the

ballot paper that has been elected by the voters. This

drop box usually located in the factory or farms, and

will be collected in a few days ahead. The weakness

of this system is it can be manipulated by the

successful team of candidates, because of the

collection days and the ballot paper that being put by

migrant workers into the box.

The second system is by using early voting. This

system means doing the early election. It is useful

because not all Indonesian migrant workers who work

in the formal or informal sector can vote on the same

day with the election in Indonesia. As the example,

on 2014 legislative’s election abroad, it is done in 8

days started from March, 30

until April, 6

2014.

Meanwhile, the presidential election started from

July, 4

-6

2014. That schedule means to facilitate

voters who have work to do. On July, 9

2014 is on

the weekend, and the authorities abroad are

impossible to ask permission to allow Indonesian who

worked to vote on July, 9

(Tribun, 2014).

The third system is a system that also

implemented in Indonesia’s election event, came into

the existing polling station. On the 2014 election, all

Indonesian migrant workers were given time within

three days to come directly to the polling station.

Nonetheless, several problems also occurred during

the election, for example, the distance from their

houses to the polling station. By the result, the

employer did not support the workers to vote and did

not permit his/her worker. On the contrary, there was

also employers who accompanied the workers to the

embassy of Indonesia, to vote and support the

workers to give his/her political right.

According to the interview with one of the migrant

workers activist, Indonesian migrant workers in

Malaysia also allowed voting, instead of his/her

passport being taken by the employer and so on, as

long as he/she has an identity card (Badriyah). The

three systems that had been used this time stay

implemented along two periods of the election, on

2009 and 2014. Then, there is no special system, but

in 2014 much more fixed systems and the more

supervising system being implemented. This thing

influences the political participation of Indonesian

migrant workers.

The improvement of political participation from

Indonesian migrant worker in Malaysia also written

by Migrant CARE, that in the data they had, on 2009

election, there was 324.686 (22%) for the number of

legislative election and 326.182 in the presidential

election. Also, in 2014 there was 464.458 (22.19%)

for the number of legislative election and 674.997

number of the presidential election (Tribun, 2014).

4.2 Intensifying Socialization from

Government toward Indonesian

Migrant Worker in Malaysia and

the Coordination of Election’s

Institution Abroad

In a democracy context, political socialization is a

critical component to build a good quality of election.

The improvement of political participation on the

election of 2014 can be called as the result of

intensified socialization and coordination among

general commission election (KPU), ministry of

foreign affairs, the committee of election abroad

(PPLN), embassy of the Republic of Indonesia

(KBRI), Indonesian consulate general (KJRI) also the

existing volunteer. Nonetheless, the coordination

among those institutions is still needed to be

improved, especially in facing the voters in Malaysia.

Election Supervisory Agency translated the

participation of society by doing Gerakan Sejuta

Relawan Pengawas Pemilu (GSRPP). This movement

aims to recruite the society who wishes to involve in

supervising, but they did not join in the organization

of elections supervision. Basic philosophy from the

society involvement directly in the election

supervising is ‘each citizen can contribute to make

sure that his/her vote has a meaning for the existence

life of nation and state’. The pre-condition that build

are; doing voting education, socialization toward

public that represented by society organization, youth

organization, humanity organization, regional

organization, professional organization, universities

and schools (bawaslu,2014).

In the existing coordination, KPU asked to PPLN

to input Indonesian citizen in the list of voters if they

do not have any document, but PPLN sure that she/he

is an Indonesian citizen. Meanwhile, from the

ministry of foreign affairs, they asked KBRI and

KJRI in Malaysia to give support and facilities toward

PPLN regarding the effectiveness of general election.

In the election of 2014, KBRI in Malaysia reported

that 1.055.510 persons entered to the provisional

voter list (DPS), it adding from the data of potential

society of voter’s election (Data Penduduk Potential

Pemilih Pemilu/DP4), about 997.467 persons. KBRI

reported that they had done political socialization

toward voters in Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur and

around it, about 53 times (KPU, 2013).

Political socialization that done by KPU was done

by several ways, such as: short message service for

the voters list, sending letter to the Indonesian citizen

address, to the university, and the company that

Indonesian workers worked in it. In this effort, there

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383

was an improvement in the verification of voter’s list.

The supervision toward PPLN done in 15 spots

abroad and produced three agendas, inauguration and

consolidation of PPLN, updating voters data and also

socialization agenda. (kpu, 2018).

The agenda of socialization which was done by

the committee of election abroad (PPLN) on 2014,

also contributed to the number of political

participation of Indonesian migrant worker. This

socialization conducted by several Indonesian

consulate generals (KJRI) in Malaysia. The example

of the socialization efforts are; first, PPLN as the local

committee that shaped and located by central KPU in

Penang for the region of northwest Malaysia. Second,

PPLN Penang will shape local committee for the

voters that will move and spread in a strategic spot of

Indonesian people, either in academic, industry and

household spot. Indonesian workers asked to come to

the KJRI/KBRI to show their passport or identity

card. Third, PPLN Penang also formed the election’s

committee that spread in two different places, for the

election process that held in KJRI’s office and Wisma

Indonesia Penang. Fourth, for the voters abroad will

vote legislative member of Indonesian parliament in

Dapil Jakarta II that consist on Central Jakarta, South

Jakarta and Abroad as ruled in article 22 verse 1 UU

No.8/2012 about Legislative Election. This thing also

that socialized toward voters abroad (kompasiana,

2014). The agenda of socialization marked to

increased the understanding, knowledge and

participation of Indonesian citizen, either working or

studying in Malaysia.

4.3 The Contestant’s Popularity in the

Election of 2014

One of the factors of the enhancement of political

participation of Indonesian migrant workers in the

election of 2014 compared to 2009, is because of the

figure/contestant that being the president’s candidate.

Even 2014 legislative election has higher number

compared to 2009, but presidential election of 2014

way higher compared to the number of the legislative

election on 2014. Migrant CARE as the institution

that participates in supervising Indonesia’s election in

Malaysia notices that besides the repairing system,

the increasing number of political participation exists

in the presidential election, compared to the

legislative election. It was because of the desire of

migrant workers that wished for changes. At last, the

increasing number is seen by Migrant CARE in term

because of the figure of Joko Widodo, that believed

can present the changes. There is no other reason,

except the figure of Joko Widodo in seeing the

increasing number of political participation of

migrant workers in the election of 2014 (Hidayah).

Early election system definitely help in the effort of

increasing political participation. But, the figure

cannot erased as the reason beyond the existing of the

increasing political participation.

On 2014 presidential election, around 6.5 million

Indonesian migrant workers stated their support to the

couple of president and vice president’s candidate of

Joko Widodo and Jusuf Kalla. The support’s

declaration done by the representative of migrant

workers in Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, and

Quwait. That thing also related to the experience of

Jusuf Kalla that contribute to the bleaching of

Indonesian migrant worker from Malaysia and

initiate the education for them while he had been

coordinating minister for the people welfare (Menko

Kesra). It was the reason why Indonesian migrant

worker supports Joko Widodo-Jusuf Kalla.

The expectations of Indonesian migrant workers

who chose Joko Widodo seemed to succeed.

According to the data of Migrant CARE, half of Joko

Widodo’s government, there was an improvement of

the protection of Indonesian migrant worker. At least

there was a sign from the legalization of the law 2017

about “Protection of Indonesian Migrant Worker.”

Despite that, Migrant CARE also saw that there was

a fatal thing, such as permanent moratorium to the

several middle east countries (KPU, 2013). Jokowi’s

popularity in the eyes of Indonesian migrant workers

in Malaysia in the election o 2014 also caused by his

down earth’s profile. Jokowi that came from the

village , made Indonesian migrant workers feel a new

hope when Jokowi and Kalla became the leader. Of

course, they support proved in current government

under Jokowi’s leadership.

In 2015, after being a President of Indonesia, Joko

Widodo also agreed with Malaysia according to the

protection of Indonesian migrant workers. He stated

that he will send Indonesian migrant workers

formally from Indonesia to Malaysia, and will ask for

the undocumented migrant workers to come home

and fulfil their document for the sake of their safety.

4.4 Political Education as the Effort of

the Improvement of Political

Participation

Participating politically undoubtedly will influence

the life of Indonesian migrant workers in five years

ahead or the years after. In term of political

participation of Indonesian migrant workers in

Malaysia, several obstacles happened;

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1. The weakness of policy toward Indonesia’s

election abroad.

2. Minimum political literacy for Indonesian migrant

workers since departure.

3. The coordination among the promoter institution

abroad.

4. The policy of Malaysia’s government that not

coordinative and supportive toward the

Indonesian migrant worker.

One of the things that are the attention of the

government in operating the enhancement of political

participation is strengthening the political education

for Indonesian migrant worker. The minimum

number of participants is because not all Indonesian

migrant workers realize that participating politically

in the election, can influence the policy of their

protection abroad.

Good political participation needs political

literacy. Literacy is as written by Richard Ohmann in

The Politics of Letters “literacy is a social group

activity, and important picture in social

organization.” (Gale, 1994) Bernard Crick in the

Essays on Citizenship stated that political literacy is

“a compound of knowledge, skills, and attitudes, to

be developed together, each one conditioning the

other two.” (Crick, 2000) Political literacy is not only

a political knowledge but also the way to make citizen

been effective in public life, also push them to

participate actively either formally or voluntary.

According to the political literacy, several steps

should be owned by Indonesian migrant worker in

order to have a good political education; First:

necessary information about several issues that they

have to have comprehensive information about the

importance of their participation in Indonesia’s

election abroad. Second, they have to have political

socialization, relate to how they can be a good voter.

Using their political right and vote correctly. Being

understand that participate in the election is part of

their political right. Third, how to predict the most

effective way on the solving issues. There are many

obstacles they (migrant worker) face. In this point,

they need to get the political education to be aware

and can contact the embassy to use their political right

to vote in the election. Forth, how can knowing how

good the objectivity of policy and the apparent issues.

Indonesian migrant worker needs to understand the

item of the policy of protection toward Indonesian

migrant worker 2017, including the verse about

political right. Fifth, the migrant worker needs to get

the explanation that there are must be a different

perspective from people, different support, even

involved as a successful team. Moreover, that thing is

no matter as long as they in line with democratic

value. Indonesian migrant worker can see and

understand that participating in the election is a

compulsion.

It is important for Indonesian government to

always push Malaysian government to come and

contribute in the effort of the Indonesian migrant

worker’s protection. This thing because of neighbour

stated, the existing of Indonesian migrant workers

also contribute in the Malaysia’s development to

become one of the advanced state in Asia. In the term

of doing political education to increase the number of

political participation, there are obstacles; First:

internal obstacle. One of the existing obstacles, is the

weakness of policy for the election agenda abroad.

According to the supervision and report from Migrant

CARE, 2009 election is the worse election in

Indonesia. This evaluation also stated by

Constitutional Court (MK) while giving the decision

of election report’s controversy (Hidayah, 2015).

Law of No.10/2008 about Election of DPR, DPD and

DPRD definitely being the base of law for

Indonesia’s election.

Many problems occur in the election of Indonesia.

Started from the actor, the policy making process

until the policy implementation. All those element

being determination in the succeed of the election.

There are several articles in the law of 2008 that

accommodated practical mechanism of the existing

election. Several problems occur, need to be the

serious attention for the revision in the future. In the

law of No.10/2008 there are several articles that show

the event’s clause; the article of 41-46 about the

clause of voter’s registration, article of 157-171 about

the vote levies and article of 172-182 about the vote

calculation.

However, the law above that ruled the election did

not pay attention to the important of political

education, socialization information, or the clearness

of information on the election. The quality of

election’s policy that has not mention the articles

specifically, and protection policy that did not

mention the point of Indonesian worker’s votes as the

political right, showed the weakness of election

policy. The quality of policy has an impact to the

quantity and quality of political participation of

Indonesian migrant workers that participated in the

election of 2009 and 2014.

According to Meredith Rolfe, voter compare to

non voter, could be seen from the political interest.

Strong partisan, care to the outcome of election,

prefer to choose compare to weak partisan and

careless on the existing result. The voters more

having en education and skill that needed to register

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385

and understand how they can reach the polling station

and get the ballot paper, compare to who do not vote.

In the end, citizen prefer to vote or not, if they family,

friend or roommate also vote (Rolfe, 2012).

Beside the understanding and information about

how the working atmosphere of Indonesian migrant

workers, they also have to be introduced by the policy

that relate to the protection policy of Indonesian

migrant workers in the existing destination country.

And how is the right that have to be owned related to

the political right. How they have to be good

Indonesian citizen by giving their political right while

the election happens. In the effort of increasing the

political participation of Indonesian migrant workers,

Migrant CARE as the NGO that pay attention to the

protection of Indonesian migrant workers, made a

module of political education for Indonesian migrant

workers in 2014. That module teach to Indonesian

migrant workers about the understanding of politics,

then explained in that module that politics is so close

with our lives. As each individual wants a better life

for him/her, so he/she struggle to get that, and he/she

made a political process in that struggling.

The election intend to votes the people’s

representative (senator). So that, Indonesian migrant

workers have to vote the right person that can speak

up about the needs of Indonesian migrant workers.

Election is important for Indonesian migrant workers

for the several reasons:

a. Relate to the policy (Indonesian migrant

worker’s participation will give an impact to

the policy.)

b. Election is the moment to change the fate

toward the policy that supported the

Indonesian migrant workers.

c. As the media of aspiration distribution of

needs of Indonesian migrant workers.

d. To participate and specify the leader that

considered support the need of migrant

workers.

e. Being part of the people that struggling for

their right that still abandoned.

f. Using the basic right that ruled in the

constitution (participated politically).

g. As the political participation for Indonesian

migrant workers.

h. Participated in being responsible as the

Indonesian citizen.

i. Indonesian migrant workers can involved

directly in politics, and can giving their rights

(migrantcare.net, 2017).

Also, there are several obstacles from abroad.

Political participation is not only addressed to

Indonesian migrant workers in Malaysia, but also the

administrator institution abroad. In the law of 2008,

articles 41 and 42, Indonesia’s representative has a

clear mandate to provide the potential data of voters

abroad. Those mandate mean the guarantee for each

Indonesian citizen abroad to vote. In the law of

No.22/2007 about the election administrator, there

are PPLN (committee of the election abroad) and

KPPSLN (the administrator club of vote levies

abroad) that made by KPU for election abroad. Each

club has their own task. PPLN and KPPSLN also

KBRI/KJRI and supervisor committee abroad

(Panwaslu LN) did coordination to held the event of

election abroad. In that context, all elements that

involved in, has to have the good political education.

The coordination among KPPSLN, PPLN,

Panwaslu LN, KBRI/KJRI being difficult. According

to the interview with Siti Badriyah, at that time KBRI

showed their siding toward one of the president

candidate. Several staff also seemed siding toward

one of president candidate, and many Indonesian

migrant workers at that time felt disappointed because

had enthusiastic to vote. Polling station around that

being the committee initiative, only came to several

places that being the source of voting for one of the

candidates. The committee that came from KBRI

have to be selected, do not making side to one of

candidates (Badriyah, 2017).

In the election, proved that there are voting right

universally. This voting right is one of the

fundamental precondition for the state that adopted

modern constitutional democracy. Dieter Nohlen

stated that “ The right to vote, along with the freedom

of expression, assembly, association, and press, is one

of the fundamental requirements of modern

constitutional democracy” (Lipset, 1995). If so, the

effort to make sure that each Indonesian citizen has a

voting right and can choose, is the format of

accommodating toward universal voting right, either

that citizen is in his/her country or in another country.

5 CONCLUSION

The political enhancement of participation of

Indonesian migrant workers in Malaysia on 2014

election compared to 2009, did not correlate directly

toward the better mechanism of the election. That

enhancement is more about the raising of the new

figure, that can be considered, and expected could

accommodate the interest of migrant workers in term

of the policy. The appearing of Joko Widodo as one

of the contestants are expected to give migrant

workers motivation to participate actively in the

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election of 2014. In the end, the number of

participants increased significantly, and migrant

workers start becoming an active voter and

participant.

The government socialized the political education

as an essential way to improve the political

participation of Indonesian migrant worker in

Malaysia in the election. The government also went

through several ways to improve the number of

political participation; (1) Documents status

arrangement of Indonesian migrant workers in

Malaysia, (2) Fixing the system and mechanism of

voting by picking up the ball out and several other

practical ways.

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