Editor's Note: On July 1, 2019, Albert Tei was granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) by the Semenyih Sessions Court.

Never again. This is the position taken by many Indonesian workers, who were rescued by the authorities yesterday from an allegedly exploitative bird's nest factory in Klang when asked if they would return to Malaysia to work.

"Never here again, InsyaAllah! After this, I will look for work closer to home," said Tyas Weningsih Putri from Kendal, a district in Central Java.

"I am so grateful. I have no words to describe my happiness," said Tyas as she joined the row of workers assembled outside the Maxim Birdnest factory after a multi-agency raid that led to the arrest of factory owner Albert Tei (centre in photo) and three other staff.

Among others, the raiding team involved officers from the Home Ministry's Anti-Human Trafficking Council, D7 unit from Bukit Aman, Selangor police, Immigration from Putrajaya and Labour Department.

A Labour Department officer met by Malaysiakini noted that the operation was the biggest of its kind conducted this year.

Immigration Department director-general Mustafar Ali, who was also present during the raid which lasted nearly 10 hours, had reportedly described the conditions faced by the workers as "hell on earth".

'Now we are free'

When first met by Malaysiakini over lunch earlier this month, Tyas was afraid of revealing her real identity.

At the time, she had exposed their harsh working conditions at the bird’s next plant, of being forced to work long hours and their wages often arbitrarily docked.

"When I'm home, I will also advise my juniors to be more selective when taking up job offers in Malaysia," said Tyas (centre in photo), who was among the workers recruited by an Indonesian manpower agency with connections to her former vocational high school.

Malaysiakini and Tempo magazine from Jakarta also met with Siti Lestari Sayeti and Idjiduma Nufika, both also from Kendal, who at the time requested to have their identities protected.

"Happy and grateful. This was totally unexpected," said Siti Lestari. "Now we are free and I want to go back to my family."

Siti Lestari (right in photo above) said they were caught by surprise when told to stop working about 11am yesterday, and to follow instructions from the multi-agency raiding team.

Idjiduma was similarly speechless, but she thanked all parties who had worked to rescue them.

Of the 156 foreign workers rescued or investigated, the majority are from around the vicinity of Java, Indonesia.

Listening in on their chatters, they were mostly excited to leave and return home - already making plans for what to eat, who to meet and where to go.

Wages in Malaysia still better

But they were also wary of the fact that they have yet to receive their salaries for this month.

"It would be better if we can get our last salary before going home," said Tyas, adding that they would typically receive their salary on the 7th of each month.

However, for May Saroh (photo), her experiences at Maxim Birdnest have taught her a lesson, but the reality remains that any salary earned here would still be higher than in her hometown.

"I still want to come again to Malaysia and work. The worse is now over," said the 23-year-old who previously worked as a domestic helper in Indonesia.

It is understood that all the rescued victims would be taken either to the government's shelter home or to the Immigration Department's detention depot, depending on investigations, before being deported.

All their belongings were also transferred onto several trucks.

Before leaving the factory in several Immigration Department trucks, they posed for a group photograph outside its building, all smiles and cheers in their last farewell.

Read our Special Reports here:

Following the money on lucrative illegal Indo-M’sia maid trade

'Modern-day slavery' at a bird's nest factory in Klang

Batam - island paradise and haven for migrant worker brokers