36 Indonesian workers died in Singapore, ministry says<\/p>\n
BATAM, Riau (JP): Thirty-six Indonesians working in Singapore
\nhave died over the past two years, and most of them committed
\nsuicide, an official at the Ministry of Manpower told Antara on
\nFriday.<\/p>\n
The head of the Working Women's Service Center at the
\nministry's Batam office, Feybe Lumanaum, said most of the workers
\nwere employed as housemaids.<\/p>\n
\"Most of the workers committed suicide by jumping out of the
\napartments where they worked,\" Lumanaum said.<\/p>\n
Indonesian Consul in Singapore Entjim Herrianto said that last
\nyear 1,421 case were reported of Indonesian workers fleeing their
\njobs and asking for protection from abusive employers.<\/p>\n
He said that 61 of the 1,421 cases had been handled by the
\nSingapore Police -- including the deaths of 36 female workers.<\/p>\n
Lumanaum said most of the workers had filed complaints with
\nthe local police that their employers had sexually harassed them
\nand physically abused them.<\/p>\n
Some of the workers, however, were reportedly found to have
\nfabricated the accusations against their employers, she said.<\/p>\n
\"The police officials, in return, took firm action against
\nthose who were caught lying,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Separately in Medan, North Sumatra, immigration officials were
\nstill searching for three foreigners who had reportedly entered
\nthe country through the Belawan seaport without visas.<\/p>\n
The news agency reported on Friday that the illegal tourists
\nwere identified as Naser J. Sayar, 45, and Hair M. Aji, 35, both
\nIraqi citizens, and 41-year-old French man Ferreira Da Silva Eo
\nArdo.<\/p>\n
According to North Sumatra immigration official Imam
\nSoeprapto, the three entered Belawan port on the ferry Langka
\nSuka together with 100 other passengers.<\/p>\n
Imam said they failed to produce visas when officials asked
\nfor their travel documents. They then said they would make calls
\nat a nearby telephone booth and disappeared.<\/p>\n
Witnesses said the three escaped in a car to Medan, Imam said.<\/p>\n
\"Up until now we're still searching for the three men,\" he
\nsaid. \"Foreigners cannot enter the country without proper
\ndocuments. We've put search warrants out for them.\"<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, a Hong Kong resident and a man from Singkawang,
\nWest Kalimantan, would be tried soon in Batam for allegedly
\nforging passports.<\/p>\n
Director for immigration supervision Zaiman Nurmatias said in
\na press statement on Friday that the two, identified as William
\nLee, 38, and A Pen, 24, were captured at separate immigration
\ncheckpoints in Batam.<\/p>\n
\"William was netted in Batu Ampar Port on June 11 and A Pen
\nwas captured in Marina Teluk Senimba Port on May 28,\" Zaiman
\nsaid. (edt)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/36-indonesian-workers-died-in-singapore-ministry-says-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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