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)