PETALING JAYA: The government must take immediate and effective measures to protect domestic workers, says a human rights group following reports of yet another exploitation case in Subang Jaya.
Tenaganita executive director Gloria Dass said that while the swift actions by the Subang Jaya police and the Indonesian embassy were commendable, a decisive and urgent response from the government is needed to put an end to the exploitation of foreign domestic workers.
“The continued absence of such legislation is a failure of our duty to uphold human dignity and protect the vulnerable.
“Abuse, exploitation, and violence must never be the price someone pays for simply trying to earn a living,” she said in a statement on Thursday (June 12).
Previously, it was reported that the Indonesian Embassy rescued one of its citizens, who was allegedly abused by her employer in Subang Jaya.
The victim, Muliani (not her real name), penned a note asking for help from a neighbour, expressing that she was no longer able to endure the working conditions.
The neighbour had reportedly contacted Indonesian envoy Hermono, who then immediately filed a police report with the Subang Jaya police.
Police, along with embassy staff, rushed to the employer’s residence.
It was learned that Muliani had been working for over a year there, tasked with caring for the elderly and doing household chores from 5.30am to 10.30pm.
Dass said that Muliani’s experience was not an isolated case.
“Muliani's experience, working from dawn until night with no rest, constantly demeaned and verbally abused, reflects a grim reality faced by many domestic workers across Malaysia.
“These women are invisible to the public, yet they care for our homes, our elderly, and our children. Their work sustains families, yet they remain among the most exploited and unprotected groups in our society,” she said.
