November 18, 2010

Government responsible over Sumiati abuse in Saudi Arabia, says Speaker of Indonesia People's Consultative Assembly


Taufik Kiemas, Speaker of Indonesia People's Consultative Assembly ( Majelis Permusyawaratan Rakyat / MPR)

November 18, 2010. Jakarta (KATAKAMI / THE JAKARTA POST) --- People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) Speaker Taufik Kiemas has demanded that the government take responsibility for a recent case of maid abuse in Saudi Arabia. He also asked the relevant officials to directly tackle the problem.

Taufik said he regretted that the government had not learned from previous cases of abuse of maids and had not insisted on stricter regulations that would guarantee workers’ safety in Saudi Arabia. He said stricter regulations could be implemented in many other countries where Indonesians worked.

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Photo: Sumiati


“I think this is the time for Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Muhaimin Iskandar and National Indonesian Workers Placement and Protection Agency head Jumhur Hidayat to take firm action. Please do something meaningful for our workers there,” he said.

An Indonesian worker by the name of Sumiati was recently sent to King Fahd Hospital in Saudi Arabia with severe wounds allegedly inflicted by her employer there. (*)