The Jakarta Globe, November 28, 2012
Malaysian police have arrested the employers of an Indonesian maid after they allegedly abused the woman when she was late to work, an Indonesian Embassy officials said on Wednesday.
Employers Khor Chia Lim, 29, and Ooi Lay Kim, 62, were detained Tuesday night after a doctor discovered evidence of abuse while conducting a checkup of their 24-year-old maid.
“On Tuesday night, both employers were arrested by the police at their house,” Suryana Sastradiredja, spokesman of the Indonesian Embassy in Malaysia, said.
Suryani Abdullah, of Kudus, Central Java, had worked for the family for six months after arriving in Malaysia on a tourist visa. Suryani fled the house, in Kedah, Malaysia, on Sunday after she was allegedly beaten for showing up to work two hours late.
Suryani’s employers reportedly expected the maid to start work at 5 a.m., but on Sunday she woke up at 7 a.m., she told the Indonesian news portal Antarakalbar.com.
She claimed she was tired after working late the night before.
“My employers were upset and they were not happy with my reason for waking up late,” Suryani told the news portal.
Suryani was reportedly routinely abused for waking up late, the Indonesian Embassy said.
“She had been abused during the last two or three months,” Suryana said. “The employers hit her face, chest, hand and eyes with a mop stick. They also hit her head against a wall. Her employers abused her because she was often late to work.”
The abuse was reported in Indonesian media on Tuesday after Antara interviewed the maid. Malaysian police investigated the claims and arrested the pair later that night.
The Indonesian Embassy in Malaysia will provide legal assistance to Suryani, ambassador to Malaysia Herman Prayitno said.
“This case should be handled properly,” Herman told Antarakalbar.com. “I am really concern and I hope similar abuse will not happen again in the future.”
wo 28 nov 2012 - 14:05