Senator Urges Indonesian Consulate to Protect Acehnese Tortured in Malaysia

Senator Sudirman Haji Uma, representing Aceh, has coordinated with the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia (KJRI) in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, to secure protection for three Acehnese citizens who were tortured by their employer. “We have coordinated with KJRI Johor Bahru regarding three Acehnese citizens who became victims of violence by their employer so that they receive full protection,” Sudirman Haji Uma said in Banda Aceh on Thursday. Based on his communication with the Indonesian Consul General in Johor Bahru, Sigit Suryantoro Widiyanto, two of the three victims, identified as YY and SH, have already received protection from the consulate. According to information obtained by Haji Uma from KJRI Johor Bahru, the case began when the consulate’s KSATRIA service received a complaint from an Indonesian citizen with the initials YY, who had suffered physical violence from an employer along with two other individuals working as domestic helpers in Johor. Several beatings were reported to have occurred around late 2025 and January 2026. After the incidents, the victims were abandoned by their employer in the Kampung Melayu Majidee area of Johor. However, because they still wished to work in Malaysia, the three Acehnese separated. YA went to Kuala Lumpur, while YY and SH remained in Johor. All three were working in Malaysia without proper procedures and lacked valid work permits. Their passports were also being held by the employer, which initially made them afraid to report the abuse. As concerns for their safety grew, YY eventually mustered the courage to report the case through the KJRI Johor Bahru’s KSATRIA service. Haji Uma expressed hope that the consulate would provide optimal legal protection for the three Acehnese. The consulate has pledged to protect them, oversee the case, and has already prepared legal counsel. “We ask KJRI Johor Bahru to provide legal assistance to the three Acehnese,” Haji Uma said. According to preliminary information, four suspects, comprising two married couples, have been arrested by Malaysian police. The victims have been placed in a temporary shelter to receive protection, recovery, and full legal assistance. The Royal Malaysia Police have also seized key evidence, including mobile phones, the suspects’ clothing, CCTV footage from the house, and the victims’ passports for the legal process.