KUCHING: It was a nightmarish experience they will not ever want to go through again in life.
The six Sarawakians, who were stranded in Solomon Islands, came home yesterday with tales of inhumane treatments.
“We were treated worse than animals,” they said when met upon arrival at the Kuching International Airport (KIA) yesterday.
The six are Anyie Ngau and Dennis Anyie Ngau from Baram, Miri; and Edau Mengit, Menlingang Laja, Ricky Alex and Ugot Masam all from Kapit.
Edau, Menlingang, Ricky, and Ugot arrived at 2.15pm from Singapore en route to Sibu, while Anyie and Dennis flew straight to Miri.
Speaking to the press, the four who transited KIA, claimed their employer who is from Marudi, did not pay their salaries although they worked every day and were without enough food.
“Our employer only gave us 10kg of rice every two weeks to be shared among the six of us,” claimed Ugot, 31, who appeared to be their spokesperson.
Ugot said they had to depend on wild vegetables like bamboo shoots and ferns to supplement their meager food.
“We also drank water not fit for human consumption. Our daily life was terrible. We were forced to work like slaves but we were not paid our promised salaries,” he said.
Ugot, who has three children he left behind at his longhouse in Kapit, said among the six of them he was the first to arrive in Solomon Islands about six months ago and worked at the timber camp as its chief surveyor.
The other five arrived later.
Ugot said he only received RM4,000 from his employer while the others only received RM1,000 each.
“I was the one who planned our escape but only the five agreed to join me, while the others were afraid and are still there now.
“We boarded a lorry to escape and went to the Malaysian Consulate to seek help.
“We are very thankful to the staff at the Malaysian Consulate for assisting us,” said Ugot.
He said their employer threatened to kill any workers who dared to escape.
“He even threatened to kill anyone who reported his wrongdoings to the authorities.”
Ugot spoke of an Indonesian worker who died after being hit by a fallen tree and his body was buried at the timber camp.
He said there are 12 more Sarawakians still working at the timber camp and they are facing similar problems with the same employer who came from Marudi.
They all went there using passports but are without work permits.
According to Melingang, 44, before they went there they did ask their employer regarding their work permits but were told that they would be ready once they arrived in the Solomon Islands.
“When we were sick, our employer just said kenapa tidak mati saja (why not you just die),” added Melingang.
They six thanked Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr James Jemut Masing who paid for their flight home as well as Telang Usan assemblyman Dennis Ngau and Hulu Rajang MP Datuk Wilson Ugak Kumbong whom they contacted for assistance.
“We also would like to thank the Third Secretary of the High Commission of Malaysia office in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea (PNG) Mohd Rezza Mohd Yusof for his assistance in making arrangement for us to return to Sarawak,” he added.
