KUCHING: The Indonesian Consulate General in Kuching is demonstrating an inspiring display of solidarity in its determination to ensure justice is served for Marlia, an Indonesian housemaid trapped in a cycle of exploitation and unpaid labour in Bintulu.
The Consulate, highly supportive of Marlia’s harrowing tale, is committed to ensuring her voice is heard and to shining a spotlight on the plight of domestic workers. This highlights the urgent need for protection against exploitation.
Marlia’s journey began in 2004 when she was just 13 years old, and she entered Sarawak through an agent who facilitated her passage across the border between Malaysia and Indonesia. After being handed over to an agent in Sarikei, she was eventually placed at a coffee shop in Bintulu before being moved again to work as a housemaid in the same district.
Over the course of 17 years, Marlia endured a life of servitude and isolation. She worked tirelessly as a housemaid, never leaving the confines of her employer’s residence. Despite her dedication and the significant role she played in raising the employer’s three children, Marlia never received her rightful and promised salary of RM200 per month.
In an exclusive interview with the New Sarawak Tribune, the Consul-General of the Republic of Indonesia in Kuching, Raden Sigit Witjaksono, emphasized that the safety and well-being of their citizens abroad are of utmost importance to them. He shared that they had received a report on Marlia’s escape from her employer in May, where she was assisted by the employer’s eldest child and a friend of the employer.
Following this, diligent efforts were made to establish contact with her, ultimately resulting in a successful rescue mission on June 12, bringing her back to Kuching to be placed in a temporary shelter.
“Once we were able to reach Marlia and ensure her safety, we acted promptly and lodged a police report to seek for Marlia’s wages to be paid. Thankfully, the Bintulu police conducted a mediation process with the Labour Department and the employer’s husband. The mediation process demonstrated our commitment to ensuring a fair resolution for her,” he said when met at his residence.
Currently, both the Consulate and Marlia eagerly await the decision on Friday (June 23) from the Labour Department and the employer, hoping for an amicable resolution. He added that the employer’s commitment to settling Marlia’s unpaid salary, amounting to RM143,000 initially but revised to RM160,000 (equivalent to 518,630,968.99 Indonesian Rupiah) as per the Labour Department’s recommendation, is the consulate’s primary concern.
“We urge the employer to fulfill Marlia’s rightful salary, as it is her fundamental right. By doing so, we can achieve a peaceful settlement, and both parties will be at ease, and there is no need to prolong the case,” he said.
During the interview, the Consulate managed to contact Marlia’s parents, who are living in Sambas, West Kalimantan, and they have expressed their desire for their daughter’s return. Marlia said that her employer had misled her by claiming that her parents had passed away, effectively isolating her from her family.
Raden assured that the Consulate is working tirelessly to support Marlia’s reunion with her parents as soon as possible.
“We were made to understand by the Labour Department on June 16 that the employer asserted that Marlia’s salary has been paid, except for the last month’s salary. However, there are concerns about the lack of evidence to substantiate these claims,” he said.
If the case is not resolved, the process will be dealt with under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act (ATIPSOM) 2007.
In less than 24 hours, the result of the negotiation between the Labour Department and the employer on Marlia’s unpaid
