News on Nasiroh's escape from death brings joy

JAKARTA (JP): The nation rejoiced in the news that Nasiroh Karmudin was saved from a possible death sentence, but remained wary over the fact that many Indonesians could still be imprisoned in Saudi Arabia.

Minister of Manpower Abdul Latief said the government was preparing to send a team to the oil-rich kingdom to examine the fate of Indonesians incarcerated there.

"I've asked for complete details regarding all Indonesians currently in prison in Saudi Arabia," Latief said yesterday.

"We will send another team on Saturday which will include the Ministry of Manpower's Secretary General and other high ranking officials. They will gather information on all of the Indonesians there," he told reporters after meeting with President Soeharto at Merdeka Palace yesterday.

Nasiroh, 24, was awaiting sentencing after she initially admitted having murdered her employer in 1994. She has been in jail in Gassim since then.

News of a possible death penalty for Nasiroh came in the wake of an execution of another Indonesian maid, Soleha Anam Kadiran.

The government has been heavily criticized for acting slowly in both cases.

On Wednesday the government announced that the deceased's family forgave Nasiroh and she would not have to face the death penalty.

Latief yesterday revealed that a team which included Said Umar, head of the legal division of the Association of Labor Export Companies (APJATI), engaged in talks which helped rescue Nasiroh.

The team also included Nasiroh's brother, Majid, who persuaded Nasiroh to change her confession.

Latief remarked that President Soeharto said "Alhamdulillah" (thank God) when told that Nasiroh would be saved.

When pressed further over reports that Nasiroh had written a letter disclosing that 16 other Indonesians were facing a death sentence, Latief replied that her information might only be from rumors.

"If you want to know the truth, ask God. We don't know," Latief said.

Separately Nasiroh's mother, Soleha, also expressed her delight upon hearing that her daughter was spared.

She vowed to hold a thanksgiving gathering when Nasiroh returned to her village in Cianjur, West Java.

Although saved from the death penalty, Nasiroh is still expected to serve the remainder of her sentence and is not due to be released until September.

Speaking on the repatriation of "problematic" Indonesian workers in Saudi Arabia, Latief said 5,999 had been airlifted home.

The number of workers to be returned has swelled from an earlier prediction of 9,000 to a current number of nearly 17,000.

"They are continually arriving. Yesterday some 300 to 400 came from Mecca," Latief said.

He said that a flight armada which included planes from three airlines -- Garuda Indonesia, Saudi Airlines and Singapore Airlines -- helped to shuttle 1,200 workers a day.

"Insya Allah, we have targeted the airlift to be completed by Nov. 11," Latief said. (09/prb)