Feeling terribly distraught over her employer’s abusive treatment, a Chinese national escaped from her workplace and attempted to jump off a flyover before being rescued by police in Penang.

NONE Wang Li Mei, 38 ( right ), said she felt so depressed due to her sufferings under her employer of three years, who runs a reflexology and massage outlet, that she lost all hope and decided to end her life.

She attempted suicide holding a “will” on the Jalan Aziz Ibrahim flyover near Queensbay Mall at about 3pm yesterday.

Speaking in between sobs, Wang who has two children said she came to Penang with the hope of “lightening her financial burden but found nothing but misery here”.

“I was terribly shaken by all that which has happened to me here. I just felt I did not want to live anymore,” said a teary-eyed Wang at a press conference held by Pantai Jerejak assemblyperson Sim Tze Tzin in Balik Pulau.

Wang joins three other Chinese nationals who left their homes in China’s Shandong province three years ago to come to Penang to seek a better life for their families back home.

They were happy that they managed to secure jobs as beauticians in Penang but upon arrival, were shoved into an obscure outlet to do reflexology massage.

The women, aged between 23 and 38, claimed they worked 364 days a year and were provided only one day’s leave during the first day of the Chinese New Year.

They alleged they were locked in their rooms at nights and not allowed to leave their work premises, except twice a week to buy groceries at the nearby Queensbay Mall, Bayan Lepas.

No wages for four months

They were locked in a windowless room and if the boss was not happy with them, they would not be allowed to even purchase their groceries.

They claimed that they were only allowed a 45-minute interval to get their stuff, and if they returned late, RM500 would be slashed from their salaries.

They also claimed not having received their salaries for four months, and that their employer owed them close to RM10,000 each, including a deposit collected from them during the first four months of their work, which amounted to RM4,800.

Sim, who is Bayan Baru PKR division chief, expressed his sadness and regret over the situation.

“There is an influx of migrant workers into the country, but we should treat them humanely and protect our guest workers as they are not slaves.

“They should be treated with respect and accorded their due salaries and others, according to law,” he told reporters at the Southwest District police headquarters.

NONE Sim ( centre in photo ) confirmed that the women had legal working documents which only expire sometime in June, July and October.

He added that the business premises also employed four Indonesian women who were treated in a similar manner.

However, the women managed to contact their consulate in Penang and have received the necessary assistance.

Meanwhile, thanks to the Internet, the Chinese nationals managed to contact a local Chinese daily last month after reading about a similar case suffered by Vietnamese migrant workers.

The local daily then informed Sim of their case, who took up the matter with the local police.

Sim said the employer had tried to contact him to “settle the case” but he had refused by saying the case was already in the hands of the police.

When contacted, Southwest District OCPD Mohd Hatta Mohd Zain said the case is being investigated under Section 13 of the 2007 Anti-Human Trafficking Act.

If convicted, the alleged employer faces a RM20,000 maximum fine, a jail sentence, or both.

“We have already taken statements from the employer and the agents of the Chinese nationals,” he added.

The police are currently awaiting a court order to place the women under their protection.