Indonesian ambassador proposes a moratorium on domestic workers in Malaysia

PETALING JAYA: Indonesian ambassador to Malaysia Rusdi Kirana has proposed a moratorium on sending its citizens to work in Malaysia following the death of yet another domestic worker who was allegedly abused by an employer here.

The Jakarta Post reported that Rusdi had suggested preventing further domestic workers from being sent to Malaysia and had also called on a restructuring of the employment process.

"A moratorium is important so we can restructure our TKI (migrant workers) employment system to prevent cases such as Adelina’s from happening again," said Rusdi.

On Feb 11, 21-year-old Indonesian domestic worker Adelina Lisao was allegedly abused by her employers. She was found with wounds to her hand and legs, while her head and face was swollen.

Adelina died of multiple organ failures after she was rescued by a migrant workers’ protection group.

Rusdi also was quoted as saying that relations between both countries were strained due to abuse against its domestic workers.

He added that in order to promote cooperation between both countries, the abuse that had taken place towards Adelina must not be repeated. 

The report also quoted Rusdi as saying that Indonesian president Joko Widodo previously had also raised the issue of halting the recruitment of domestic workers with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in Kuching last year.

In 2004, Indonesian domestic worker Nirmala Bonat was scalded with boiling hot water and burnt with a hot iron by her employer. Her employer, Yim Pek Ha is currrently serving 12 years in jail for causing grievous hurt to Nirmala.

In 2010, Hau Yuan Tyng was convicted last year of inflicting wounds on her domestic helper Siti Hajar using a hammer, scissors and scalding water.

Another Indonesian national Suyanti was also allegedly slapped and punched every day by her employer Rozita Ali in 2016. She escaped and was found unconscious near a drain by a security guard. Her employer was charged with attempted murder.

Indonesia previously imposed a moratorium on sending its domestic workers to Malaysia in 2009. The ban was lifted in 2011.

During that period, domestic workers from Vietnam, Cambodia and the Philippines travelled to Malaysia to fill the shortage. But the abuse of Cambodian maids also led Prime Minister Hun Sen to ban its citizens from working as domestic workers in Malaysia from 2011 to 2017.