Prostitution rife in Riau

Prostitution rife in Riau

PEKANBARU, Riau: Labor brokers promising well-paid jobs in
Malaysia have allegedly forced hundreds of women from Java and
Lampung into prostitution here, a press report said yesterday.

Last week, six of the dozens of the female job seekers who
ended up in brothels managed to escaped and told their plight to
the police, Antara reported.

The six, who were returned to their home villages in Java and
Lampung by the labor broker that recruited them, said they were a
handful of 40 job seekers "accommodated" in a Pekanbaru suburb.

"The brokers sent us to the place and the promised well-paid
jobs in Malaysia was never mentioned again," said one of the
escapees, Nurhayati.

Antara reported it was commonplace for manpower suppliers to
send them to work as prostitutes in amusement centers in Batam
and Tanjungbalai Karimun.

Local military chief Col. Songko Purnomo said that he knew of
corrupt government officials who endorsed the practices.

Some village chiefs provide the newcomers with identity cards
so they can work in their area legally, he said. (pan)