Indonesia Protests Strongly Malaysia, Perpetrators Of PMI Persecution Must Be Legally Processed

JAKARTA The Indonesian government has expressed strong protests and demanded criminal legal proceedings against perpetrators of brutal persecution of Indonesian migrant workers (PMI) from West Sumatra in Malaysia. Indonesian Ambassador to Malaysia, Dato' Indera Hermono, emphasized that these acts of violence cannot be resolved amicably and must be processed according to Malaysian criminal law.

"How exactly do these people see Indonesian workers? Do they see Indonesian workers like slaves who can be treated at will? That's not allowed," Hermono told ANTARA quoted Wednesday, November 19.

This case has again revealed the vulnerability of non-procedural PMI. Victims who entered Malaysia as tourists then worked illegally under severe torture by their employers and had to save themselves in a dramatic way: escaped through a condominium window on the 29th floor and slumped to the 27th floor.

Hermono showed photos of bruises and burns from hot water poured by his employer. After running away, the victim is now under the protection of the Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur and has undergone a post-mortem and is accompanied to make a police report.

Perpetrators of the persecution and his family had visited the Indonesian Embassy to apologize and try to resolve the case amicably. However, the Indonesian government firmly rejected these efforts.

"People can't torture and then apologize and finish it," said Hermono. "We ask that the perpetrators be prosecuted. There must be justice for the victims."

The perpetrator is said to be a married couple of Malaysian citizens who work as a co-assist of doctors who should understand the value of humanity but instead commit violence.

The Indonesian government urges the Malaysian police to enforce the law professionally and give appropriate punishments to the perpetrators, as well as ensure protection for victims.

On the other hand, Hermono highlighted the classic issue of non-procedural PMI departures. He asked the Indonesian government, especially immigration, to tighten profiling and examination of citizens leaving the country to close the gap for illegal departures.

Hermono reminded that the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the Protection of Indonesian Domestic Workers 'Malaysia will become ineffective if the flow of illegal workers is not stopped.

"If there is no prevention, then this MoU is useless. We cannot implement it properly if non-procedural workers continue to flow," he said.

He emphasized that immigration is the only agency that non-procedural PMI passes through when making passports and leaving Indonesia, so its role is very crucial in prevention.