PUTRAJAYA, Nov 26 — An Indonesian woman, believed to have been a victim of human trafficking for almost 16 years, was rescued by the Immigration Department during a raid at a residential premises in Batu Caves on Monday (November 24).
Immigration director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said that during the raid, the 56-year-old woman was found hiding under a four-wheel drive vehicle, following her employer’s order to avoid detection by officers on duty.
“The victim had worked as a domestic helper for almost 16 years without holding a valid pass. The woman revealed that although she had been promised a monthly salary of RM600, she had not received any payment for the past two years,” he said in a statement today.
Zakaria added that the victim was traumatised when rescued, believed to be the result of repeated scoldings and beatings by her employer.
The victim was also not allowed to keep her passport, use her mobile phone, or contact her family, and was forced to work without a break, leaving her to take whatever moments she could to rest or sleep.
Following the raid, he said a 51-year-old local man, the victim’s employer, was arrested and admitted to having obtained her services through an immediate family member.
The department has launched an investigation under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (ATIPSOM) Act 2007.
Zakaria said the rescue operation was conducted by officers from the ATIPSOM Prevention Division and the Anti-Money Laundering Investigation Team (AMLA) at the Immigration Department's headquarters.
The operation used an approach for identifying human trafficking victims (forced labour), guided by the National Guideline on Human Trafficking Indicators (NGHTI) 2.0.
“The Immigration Department views such matters seriously and will act firmly and without compromise against any party found responsible for human trafficking,” he said.
Zakaria also urged the public to continue providing information regarding the exploitation of foreigners, enabling authorities to take swift action to curb the crime.
Members of the public may channel any complaints or information to the ATIPSOM and AMLA Prevention Division by contacting 03-8880 1471 or sending an email to urusetia_p@imi.gov.my.
