Problem with housemaid

From Kompas

A friend of mine in Sidotopo, Surabaya, introduced a house maid to me on June 18, 1994. The housemaid, whose name is Yusi, is 16 years old and has no identity card. Previously she lived with her parents and eight other children in a hut close to an unused train wagon left on railway track in Sidotopo. Her father is Alex Chandra Andi, 35 years old, and her mother, Supiah, is about 30 years old and is expecting another baby. They had lived there for about two months.

I promised to send Yusi to a fashion course and buy her a sewing-machine. I even planned to lease a small house for her parents and family for a period of two or three years so that they could turn over a new leaf.

On July 8, 1994, I went to the office and my wife had to go out to attend some business and left Yusi at home by herself. Imagine my wife's consternation when she returned home at about 3 p.m. only to find Yusi had disappeared leaving a note saying that she had taken all the money kept in the cupboard. My wife spared no time and went straight to the culprit's old home, but the hut was completely deserted. It was quite likely that they had planned the robbery beforehand.

This problem should serve as a lesson to everybody who wishes to take a house maid into the family. There is no guarantee that goodwill will bear good fruit. I have taken this case to the police.

SUDARMADJI SURIJANA

Surabaya, E. Java