The authorities have been urged to carry out an immediate and thorough investigation on the case of a foreign woman who was said to have been locked up and forced to work without pay in Klang, Selangor recently.

    

Wanita Barisan Nasional chairperson Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said stern action should be taken against the person involved if it was proven that he or she had abused the woman and had indulged in human trafficking.

Speaking at a media conference today, Shahrizat, who is also Wanita Umno head, said the latest scandal not only breached the country’s law but could also lead to diplomatic problems.

“We don’t want the cordial relations between Malaysia and the countries from where these maids originated, to be affected. I hope other agencies concerned will ensure that this problem would not recur,” she said.

Last Saturday, the Port Klang branch of the Selangor Immigration Department rescued 105 foreign women from being locked up in a four-storey premises of a housemaid agency in Bandar Baru Klang.

The former women, family and community development minister said the Wanita BN movement took a serious view on human trafficking especially those involving women, and urged the authorities to enforce the Anti-Human Trafficking Act 2007 to investigate the case.

She also called on the government to constantly supervise the foreign maid agencies and ensure that they complied with the law besides ensuring that they did not neglect the foreign maids under their charge.

Meanwhile, the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) urged the government to give the 105 foreign women who were locked up in the four-storey premises of the foreign maid agency the option of becoming legal workers or to return to the country of their origin.

Suhakam chairperson Hasmy Agam said in a statement today that the authorities were also urged to ensure immediate action and aid for the women to realise the option.

“The commission also urges that the relevant embassies be given access to contact the victims in speeding up the process,” he said.

“It is also hoped that they will be given proper care immediately including access to psychologists, counselling, and physical health care,” he said.

In the raid on the four-storey premises, the women aged between 18 and 25, were locked on the third and fourth floors of the premises located above the foreign maid agency concerned.

Women possessed social visit passes

The women comprised 95 Indonesian nationals, Filipinas (six), and Cambodians (four) who only possessed social visit passes and were believed to have entered the country between one and six months ago.

Twelve others were also detained, comprising three local men who were believed to be employees of the agency, as well as nine women comprising five Indonesians, three Cambodians and a Filipina who was the supervisor of the group of women who were rescued.

The president of the Malaysian Association of Foreign Maid Agencies (PAPA), Jeffrey Foo, said employers must always be wary by studying the background of the foreign maid agency before making any payment to avoid from being cheated.

He said the employers must be careful as they had to fork out a large sum of money to hire a maid.

- Bernama