Malaysia is one of Asia's biggest employers of foreign labour. But recently, cases of deaths, abuse and forced labour have come to light. What is going on? Who is protecting these migrant workers?
Speaking after an Indonesian maid knotted pieces of cloth as a makeshift rope
to escape alleged abuse by her employers, the official said many workers went
years without being paid and some were tortured or sexually assaulted.
<p>"We handle more than 1,000 cases a year. Most of them are maids who come
to the embassy to ask for protection," Tatang Razak, who heads the embassy’s
task force to protect Indonesian nationals, told AFP.</p>
<p>"Most of them have not been paid for two, three or even four years …
Some of them were tortured and some sexually assaulted," he said.</p>
<p>Tatang said Indonesian embassy officials will help the maids to retrieve their
money by mediating with the employers or agencies who brought the workers into
Malaysia.</p>
<p>Tatang said at least 80 Indonesians maids are currently staying at the dormitory-style
shelter located within the embassy grounds. Three hundred workers were repatriated
in the last eight months, he said.</p>
<p><b>Delayed justice</b></p>
<p>Theresa Kok, a lawmaker and member of the opposition DAP, said she visited
the shelter with two other politicians on Monday to gather information to bring
to Parliament.</p>
<p>"We paid a visit to the shelter. We were shocked to know that there are
more than 1,000 cases every year and that the employers have not been brought
to court," Kok told AFP.</p>
<p>"We were shocked that the police have been dilly-dallying," she said.</p>
<p>Malaysia depends heavily on foreign maids but they enjoy little protection
under labour laws. The maids often live with their employers and work long hours
under tough conditions to earn up to 130 dollars a month.</p>
<p>Ceriyati Dapin, 33, made headlines after she lowered herself from a 15th storey
apartment after allegedly being beaten and having threats made to her life by
her employers.</p>
<p>Malaysian police reportedly have arrested her boss, a 35-year-old woman who
faces charges of wrongful confinement and causing injury with a dangerous weapon.<br>
– AFP</p>
<p><i>Source: http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/69112</i>
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