JAKARTA, June 30 (Xinhua) -- The Indonesian and Malaysian governments have reached an agreement on the key provisions of a proposed prisoner transfer pact, paving the way for further bilateral talks to repatriate each other's nationals facing legal proceedings, a senior official said Tuesday.
Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Corrections Yusril Ihza Mahendra said that discussions on the draft agreement have reached an understanding in principle and will advance to the next stage before being signed by both countries.
He said the Indonesian government has placed significant importance on the cooperation, given the large number of Indonesian nationals currently serving prison sentences in Malaysia.
According to official data as of June 2026, Malaysia's correctional system held 6,622 Indonesian nationals, consisting of 4,900 convicts and 1,722 detainees. Meanwhile, Indonesia held 314 Malaysian nationals, including 267 convicts and 47 detainees. ■
