Jakarta – A local NGO fighting for migrant workers has pleaded for the Indonesian government to do more to protect Indonesian domestic workers facing abuse in Malaysia.
The NGO, Migrant Care, said swift actions are needed after Suyanti became the latest Indonesian domestic worker to be assaulted by her employer in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur earlier this month.
"There's a bilateral commitment from both Indonesia and Malaysia to respect, meet and protect the rights of migrant domestic workers," Migrant Care executive director Anis Hidayah said on Monday (26/12).
According to Anis, the Indonesian embassy in Kuala Lumpur brought Suyanti to the University Malaya Medical Center's intensive care unit on Sunday for treatment, and reported the incident to the Malaysian Police, who had at that time arrested her employer.
19-year-old Suyanti suffered from multiple wounds and heavy bruising on the eyes after she was beaten by her boss.
Suyanti said she arrived in Malaysia on Dec. 7, and was sent to her employer's home by her agent a day later. The physical abuse began a week after that, and Suyanti eventually fled the house after being threatened with a knife by her boss on Dec. 21.
The Indonesian embassy has sent a note to the Malaysian foreign affairs ministry to protest the incident, and demanded that Suyanti's employer be put on trial according to the local law. Meanwhile, Suyanti's boss has now been released on bail.
Anis said the case highlights how the 2012 International Convention agreement on migrant care rights has been very lackadaisically implemented.
According to Anis, the Indonesian government should put pressure on the Malaysian government to process the case quickly and fairly, and use the existing Law on Placement and Protection of Indonesian workers in foreign countries as a guide to make sure that justice is done for Suyanti.