Reports of workers forced into prostitution probed

Reports of workers forced into prostitution probed

JAKARTA (JP): The Ministry of Manpower has launched an
investigation into a report that some female Indonesian workers
in Malaysia have been forced into prostitution and pregnancy, and
have then had their babies taken from them and sold.

Ministry spokesman Hermanto said the government is waiting for
a full account from the Indonesian embassy in Kuala Lumpur
following the report by the Antara news agency on Wednesday.

The report by Antara quoted a local organization called PKAI,
which specifically looks after the interest of Indonesian
children, said Malaysian police recently busted a syndicate which
runs a prostitution service. It used Indonesian women sent to
them as workers, which were recruited by a company in Jakarta.

The women said the syndicate forced Indonesian women into
prostitution and prevented them from using contraceptives so that
they would become pregnant. After delivery, their babies were
seized and sold by the syndicate.

"This is the most evil act. We want this syndicate prosecuted
and convicted," Khairuddin Harahap, head of the PKAI, told the
Antara news agency.

Police recently handed over 12 Indonesian women freed from the
syndicate. A 13th woman, who is pregnant, is being treated in
hospital. She sustained injuries after jumping from the second
floor of the house where the women were kept. She managed to drag
herself out and contacted the local police.

Khairuddin said all the women came to work in Malaysia using
legal papers and were sent by a supplier agency in Jakarta.

He said there could be more Indonesian women in Malaysia
subjected to this kind of treatment.

One of the women said that they had not been forced into
prostitution themselves because they had only just arrived. But
three other women, who had arrived earlier, had been through the
ordeal and fallen pregnant and then immediately after delivery,
their babies were taken from them.

The women said a baby is sold for the equivalent of Rp 6.5
million for a boy and Rp 4.3 million for a girl.

Khairuddin said the local police have asked four of the women
to stay in Malaysia to testify in court against the members of
the syndicate. Five of them have been sent back to Indonesia and
the rest will follow soon.

Indonesian Ambassador to Malaysia Sudarmadi has expressed
concern at the report and stressed that the embassy is helping to
provide temporary shelter for the women and arrange for their
return to Indonesia.

The All Indonesian Workers Association has also issued a
statement deploring the exploitation of the workers and urging
the Malaysian government to resolve the issue thoroughly.

The association's executive, Djoko Daulat, said the Indonesian
company which sent the women to Malaysia should also be held
accountable. (emb)