MAID ABUSE IN MALAYSIA: Shelter full of horror stories

Submitted by chang on Friday, June 12th, 2009

Embassy believes there are many other unreported cases
Friday, June 12th, 2009 10:27:00

HOME AWAY FROM HOME: One of the bedrooms for women at the Indonesian Embassy shelter

FOR every Siti Hajar, there are many others who suffer in silence, their stories untold. If you thought that maid abuse is a rare case in our supposedly genteel society, think again — it’s more rampant than you think.

Think cheating employers who shortchange their maids and deny them wages. Think employers who bring out the cane and beat their maids black and blue. Think employers who rape their maids and make them bear their children.

It's a horror story that not many will want to hear but this is the true picture of how sick Malaysians can be.
Second secretary (consular affairs) at the Indonesian Embassy in Malaysia, Susapto Anggoro Broto, has seen and heard it all at the embassy's shelter, located behind the embassy’s building on Jalan Tun Razak.

Susapto said a Taskforce for Services and Protection of Indonesians was formed in 2007 to deal with problems faced by their nationals. For these cases, the process of settling them can be quite lengthy as the women will be required to help in police investigations and to attend court hearings. The shelter then becomes their temporary home.

HELPING THEMSELVES: Women at the Indonesian Embassy’s shelter make their own meals daily. Currently there are 162 in a shelter bulit to accommodate 75. They have to make do.

“Many ran away and came to us for help but I'm sure that all the cases we have here are just the tip of the iceberg.
“There are many more who continue to suffer because they were unable to escape,” he said.
Susapto said Malaysia received the most complaints for being terrible employers compared with countries like Taiwan, Hong Kong or Singapore. "

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In Comments

No more small talk, arrest and hold them till the case is done

Is it any wonder Malaysians have nothing to say about this. I am absolutely horrified to learn of this state of affairs and Malaysian attitude towards the maids. I have seen maids being provided rooms, if they are lucky enough to have one, with no windows and ventilation. I was shocked to view a few houses in such state, when looking for a home to buy.

No human should be treated in such manner, by another.When one is employed one pays for their skills and time and ability to do a task. Their dignity, respect, honour, body and mental well being are not part of the payment.They are areas to be respected by another individual.
I feel so sad that Malaysian society has been lowered itself so much, and have lost the respect for another individual, simply because they think they pay their wages, they own them, and can abuse them to one heart's delight.Very wrong thinking. Disgusting ....is all I can think...to treat another human being in such a manner.

I know of a family who have come back from abroad, do NOT employ a maid when they can ..as they feel...that they cannot condone the manner maids are treated in Malaysia, and do not wish to be part of the evil culture that mistreats people...Submitted by GS Dhaliwal on Saturday, June 13th, 2009other countries, domestic workers get better wages and are treated better.”

Submitted by CHOY SIEW on Saturday, June 13th, 2009.

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Indonesia may suspend sending domestic maids to M’sia

Dear Clients, friends and Guess, Salam to all,

This came in the news today...Time and again I've been giving advise to clients, if you have good and trusworthy maids, be thankful for what you have. Giving some small incentive or salary increase is nothing compared to having to hire a new one. For those who don't, please do not abuse your maids for whatever reason it may be...others will suffer (me included) if the Indonesian Govt resorted to the decision below. Please have a heart....

Wasalam
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JAKARTA: Indonesia may temporarily stop sending domestic helpers to Malaysia after an Indonesian maid was recently reported to have been tortured, Indonesia's Antara news agency reported.

"We will likely stop it (dispatch of domestic helpers) temporarily. But we will first invite relevant ministers and parties to a meeting on June 23 to make a preliminary evaluation," Antara quoted Manpower and Transmigration Minister Erman Suparno as saying here on Thursday.
Among those to be invited to the meeting were the state minister for women's empowerment, the foreign minister, the law and human rights minister, the home affairs minister, the national police chief and the Indonesian ambassador to Malaysia as well as Malaysian representatives, he said.

As the decision to be taken at the meeting would have a systemic impact, his ministry could not decide on the dispatch of domestic helpers on its own without the input from other parties, he said. "But I want it (the dispatch of domestic helpers) stopped until there is a response from the Malaysian government on protection of Indonesian migrant workers there," he said.
The plan to temporarily stop the dispatch of domestic helpers was the government's response to a myriad of problems being faced by Indonesian workers in Malaysia.

One of the latest of such problems arose from an incident befalling domestic helper Siti Hajar who came from Limbangan, Garut, West Java.
Suparno had earlier said delegations from the two countries were scheduled to hold talks on July 15 to discuss various problems facing Indonesian migrant workers in Malaysia.
At the meeting, the Indonesian delegation would propose reviewing several clauses in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in the manpower field both sides signed early this year. The clauses, among others, relate to protection of Indonesian migrant workers and their rights as well as improvement of their salaries.

"If no agreement on the protection of Indonesian migrant workers is reached, we will consider putting a temporary stop to the dispatch of domestic helpers," the minister said.

He said he discussed the protection of migrant workers with Malaysian Minister of Human Resources Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam early this month when they attended the 98th International Labour Conference in Geneva. - Bernama