Abused RI maid given shelter

Abused RI maid given shelter

MALAYSIA: An Indonesian teenager working as a maid in Malaysia has been given shelter in the Indonesian consulate after she was allegedly punched and beaten by her employers in the southern Johor state, local media said on Wednesday.

Acting on a tip, a group of officials from the Indonesian consulate in the state conducted a check on 18-year-old Jamiati at a child care center where she worked.

Her face was found to be swollen and her eyes bloodshot, prompting officials to lodge a police report and take her to a hospital for a medical examination.

Indonesian Consul General Maryadi Hadisuwiryo said initial medical results showed that Jamiati, who hails from East Java, was a victim of abuse.

"We'll provide her with temporary shelter at our consulate," he was quoted as saying by Star daily.

"We are saddened by what has happened to her and I want to personally talk to her before considering further action."

Jamiati had initially denied she was abused, telling police that her eyes were bloodshot as a result of fumes from a chili paste she was making, and that she had fallen off a ladder while cleaning a ceiling fan.

However, police said that during further questioning, she said she had been punched in the eye and was the victim of continuous abuse in the center, the report said. -- DPA