PMI From Aceh Experienced Torture For 8 Years In Malaysia

TKW from Aceh Tamiang who was tortured for eight years in Malaysia Lili Herawati (ANTARA/HO)

BANDA ACEH - Indonesian migrant worker (PMI) from Aceh Tamiang, Lili Herawati (24) who works as a domestic helper (ART) in Malaysia, has been tortured by her employer for eight years.

"He lost contact with his family for eight years, because his employer was held captive and tortured," said a member of the Aceh DPR and liaison for the victim's family, Asrizal Asnawi, in Banda Aceh as reported by Antara, Tuesday, May 31.

Currently, said Asrizal, the woman from Blang Kandis Village, Babo District, Aceh Tamiang Regency, has been secured by the Acehnese in Malaysia together with the Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur.

"Lili has now been secured in a place by Tgk Haikal with the Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia," he said.

Asrizal said the incident was first known to him after receiving information from the Acehnese in Malaysia who asked him to look for the victim's family.

"Alhamdulillah, it was found, until finally we were all able to meet and communicate via WhatsApp video calls," he said.

Asrizal explained, Lili left for Malaysia in 2014 when she was 16 years old with a TKW agent from the local district.

Then, when she got there, Lili was employed in a house owned by the FZ and MF families, with a promised wage of 700 Malaysian ringgit per month.

When she started working, said Asrizal, Lili was still able to communicate with her family in Indonesia, but the following year their relationship was cut off because the victim was held captive by her employer.

"The one who likes to beat the female employer, lastly, because the shirt was hit on the head so that the eyes were bruised, both ears hurt and cheeks were bruised," said the politician from Aceh Tamiang.

Asrizal said that as a liaison he immediately facilitated the victim's mother to Malaysia to meet her son, and made efforts to return him to his hometown.

Until there, Asrizal continued, apart from trying to repatriate Lili, he and the people of Aceh and the Indonesian Embassy will also fight for the rights of the victims during their eight years of work, and advocate for the torture of victims.

"We are currently taking care of our passports, God willing, next week my mother and I will go there, we are trying our best," said Asrizal Asnawi.