10 Indonesian Citizens Rescued By Malaysian Immigration From PRT Exploitation Syndicate

JAKARTA - The Malaysian Immigration Department rescued ten Indonesian citizens (WNI) from a household aid exploitation syndicate (PRT) and cleaning staff in special operations in two locations around Temerloh, Pahang, Malaysia, on Tuesday (16/5).

The Director General of the Malaysian Department of Immigration, Ruslin Jusoh, said that in the night special operation that they managed to save ten Indonesian women aged between 23 and 50 years with an expired social tour permit, which is suspected of being a victim of exploitation of domestic syndicates and cleaning staff.

Malaysian immigration has detained a female Indonesian citizen aged about 30 years with a social visit permit that has also expired, who is suspected of being the guardian of an Indonesian citizen who is a victim of domestic violence.

Meanwhile, during an operation at the location of another worker agent, he said he managed to arrest a 40-year-old woman who is the owner of a labor agency company that brought all the foreigners in, and allegedly the one who managed the syndicate.

The syndicate's modus operandi is to use foreign women to work as domestic workers and cleaning staff at home that has been determined by the syndicate. Home owners who are interested in getting the service will contact the labor agency and will also set a date for working time, including dropping them off after work.

Based on the results of the interrogation of all victims, they have never received a direct salary from the syndicate. In addition, according to him, their freedom is limited, such as work holidays and also the use of cell phones to contact families in the country of origin.

The cost of obtaining services from the syndicate is 150 Malaysian ringgit (RM) or around Rp487 thousand to RM250 or around Rp811 thousand for one day.

He said the syndicate had been operating for two years and allegedly made a profit of RM900,000 or around Rp2,92 billion a year from the payment results of getting PRT and cleaning staff.

All Indonesian citizens who were rescued were placed at the Putrajaya Immigration Depot for further investigation because they were suspected of making a mistake under the Immigration Act 1959/63 and the 1963 Immigration Regulations.

Meanwhile, the woman who owns the detained labor agency has been released on police guarantees after the investigation is complete.

Ruslin said his party would continue law enforcement operations and take firm action against parties found to have committed violations under the Immigration Act 1959/63, the 1966 Passport Law, the 1963 Immigration Regulation and the 2007 Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Migrant Smuggling Act (ATIPSOM).