Migrant workers held in house

BATAM, Riau: Local police and the city manpower office have not taken any action against the holding of 253 female workers destined for overseas employment arranged by a local company.

The company, PT RCI, locked up the would-be migrant workers in the Bukit Golf housing complex, Sungai Panas, before local people and activists from Nahdlatul Ulama youth wing Anshor finally discovered their nine-month confinement and released them by breaking in last week, Antara reported.

Some of the young women said they had not been allowed to go out and communicate with relatives while others had been physically abused, with only meager amounts of food being given to them.

They became stranded in Batam after responding to newspaper advertisements which promised them employment in Malaysia and Singapore as housemaids for a monthly salary of Rp 1.1 million.

Police, meanwhile, have questioned eight people but no suspects have been arrested for further investigation.