MALAYSIA SHOULD ALSO IMPOSE MORATORIUM, SAYS MIGRANT CARE

JAKARTA, Sept 24 (Bernama) -- Malaysia has been urged to impose a moratorium
on the hiring of Indonesian maids to ensure effective measures are in place to
prevent abuse of these migrant workers.

The call came from Migrant Care, a voluntary body caring for the welfare of
Indonesian workers, which regarded the existing moratorium as a failure and a
futile effort as it was applied by the Indonesian government only.

It said the abuse of Indonesian maid Win faidah (in Penang state) proved the
failure of the moratorium since it was implemented on June 26, 2009 because
during that period the Indonesian embassy in Malaysia had reported that about
5,000 Indonesian maids had been sent to Malaysia.

"It means the moratarium is just a policy on Indonesia's side while Malaysia
does not feel obliged to adhere to the moratorium that was decided upon by
Indonesia," said Anis Hidayah, executive director of Migrant Care in its
statement on the Winfaidah abuse case.

Twenty of Migrant Care's activists held a demonstration in front of the
Malaysian embassy in Kuningan, South Jakarta, Friday to condemn the physical and
sexual abuse of Win faidah by her employer and his wife recently.

Anis Hidayah said the failure of the moratorium was a logical result due to
the absence of instruments from the Indonesian government to make it effective
in terms of control and adherence to the law.

"After more than a year since the moratorium was imposed, there had been no
compehensive evaluation of the policy by the Indonesian government, that it has
become a half-hearted policy," she added.

In response to the Win faidah abuse case, Migrant Care urged the government
to give priority to counselling and recovery of the maid from her ordeal, as
besides physical and sexual abuse, Winfaidah was also believed to be a victim of
human trafficking.

It also urged the Indonesian government to investigate an employment agency
in Indonesia which arranged for Win faidah to be sent to Malaysia during the
moratorium period.

"The Indonesian and Malaysian governments should also meet soon to review
the memorandum of understanding between the two countries on the recruitment and
protection of Indonesian migrant workers," Anis Hidayah said.

In Friday's demonstration, the Migrant Care activists also put up a big
banner written on it in Bahasa Indonesia which means, "Malaysia, Stop the Abuse
and Rape", at the main gate of the Malaysian embassy here.

They also carried placards with messages demanding for justice for Win
faidah and protection for Indonesian workers in Malaysia.

A theatrical play on the abuse of Win faidah by the Malaysian couple who
employed her was also acted out during the demonstration.
-- BERNAMA