Jakarta - Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda said Sunday Jakarta has pressed for Kuala Lumpur‘s firmness in handling the alleged murder case of an Indonesian domestic helper last week.
"This kind of incident has happened frequently and we greatly regret it," the foreign minister said at his office on Sunday.
He said that the Indonesian government had through diplomatic channels demanded that Malaysia take firm actions and bring the alleged murderer to court.
"Stern prosecution actions are needed to give a shock therapy to other Malaysian employers so that they would not abuse but treat Indonesian workers based on their rights," the minister said.
Hassan said that Indonesian workers in Malaysia was not easy to handle because most of them worked in the informal sector.
He said that many of the Indonesian workers were employed as domestic helpers who were difficult to monitor.
"Only after there has been a case such as abuse and murder the government could reach them," he added.
Source: www.thejakartapost.com (21 AGustus 2007)
