Four Indonesian workers found dead in Singapore

Four Indonesian workers found dead in Singapore

JAKARTA (JP): Four Indonesian workers in Singapore have been
found dead of various causes over the past two weeks, according
to Entjim Herrianto, the spokesman of the Indonesian Embassy in
Singapore.

Herrianto was quoted by Antara as saying the four, who had
worked as domestic helpers, died between Oct. 30 and Nov. 3. They
were Rita Kumalasari, 20, Syukriah, 40, Sri Lestari, 25, and
Ninis Setioningsih, 26.

Rita reportedly hanged herself, Sri died after she fell 13
floors from her employer's apartment when hanging laundry, while
Syukriah was found dead with burn injuries.

"(The embassy) will not repatriate the bodies in the absence
of relevant parties, such as the companies that recruited the
four, and their employers," Herrianto said.

He did not say where the four workers came from, where their
bodies are currently being kept, or the name of the companies
that recruited them.

The Straits Times daily in Singapore reported yesterday that
Ninis was found dead Monday in her employer's apartment at Block
465, Ris Street 41. No details were provided concerning the cause
of death.

The daily did report, however, that the body was found two
days after a neighbor e-mailed another local paper, The New
Paper, that Ninis was being abused by her employer.

The Times also reported that a day before she died, Ninis
asked another Indonesian worker to deliver a letter to the
company that recruited her. She said in the letter she wanted to
return to Indonesia.

It was also reported that before The New Paper could probe
further, it received another e-mail from the neighbor saying
Ninis had already died.

Singapore's police have started an investigation into the
death of the four workers. A spokesperson at Singapore's labor
ministry said Ninis' employer had been ordered not to hire
another maid before the police investigation is completed.

Herrianto said he suspected the four workers had been working
in Singapore illegally because their names were not registered at
the embassy.

"Certain local Singaporean manpower agencies recruit workers
directly from Indonesia," he added.

He also disclosed that 11 other female workers who have
encountered problems with their employers are being sheltered in
the embassy.

According to the latest figure from the ministry, legal
Indonesian workers currently total 408,211 in Malaysia, 319,444
in Saudi Arabia, 86,209 in Singapore, 26,278 in South Korea,
19,630 in the United Arab Emirates and 225,567 in Taiwan.

Thousands of others work illegally in these countries.

Many observers have lamented the poor protection for the
illegal workers abroad, who often suffered mistreatment at the
hands of their employers. (swe)