Let down by maid agency

GURMIT of Kuala Lumpur is dissatisfied with the agency where he applied for a domestic maid.He says he was promised a maid who could perform household chores. He paid RM6,680 as required by Agency Pekerjaan Haz Sdn Bhd.The amount was for six months of the maid’s salary in advance, processing fee, which includes the agency’s commission and the maid’s documentation.

He says when the maid arrived, she could not perform basic chores such as cleaning and looking after the children, and she was always feeling tired.“Worried about my children’s safety, I took her back to the agency,” he says.The agency then offered a replacement, but he refused.“I felt cheated and I dare not take the risk again,” GURMIT says.“My wife and I both work. We don’t need someone unreliable. With a maid like that, I will always be worried about my children’s safety.”

Disappointed with the services provided by the agency, GURMIT demanded a refund. The agency only refunded RM2,800 — the six months’ advance salary for the maid.“The agency had not given me a maid they promised, but they had gained their commission. I lost RM4,000 because of the agency’s mistake.”

- A SPOKESMAN from Agency Pekerjaan Haz says when a client rejects the maid given by the agency with a solid reason, the agency will provide a replacement, but the documentation fee has to be borne by the client.

She says clients are required to sign a form before paying the fee to obtain a maid.The form clearly states the company’s policy that it would only refund the advance salary if the client rejects the maid.

She also refutes the claim that the maid was unable to perform basic chores because the maids are trained before being sent to the clients.The spokesman says she will meet GURMIT to clear the matter.

Riled up over maid agency

HANISAH of Sungai Besi has been waiting for a maid for nearly four months.

She claims that she paid a local maid agency RM2,500 in April and was promised a maid in two weeks.“I got a maid a month later, but according to the agency’s director, the maid is only temporary. I was told that if everything turns out well, the agency would make arrangements to appoint her as my permanent maid,” she says.

However, the maid refused to stay after two weeks.One and a half months later, HANISAH asked for a refund but was unable to reach the agency’s director. She was always given excuses instead.“At the end of July, the director’s assistant agreed to give the refund in the form of a cheque.“An employee brought the cheque and a letter stating that our contract has been cancelled but I declined to accept it for fear that the cheque might bounce,” HANISAH says.

Then the agency agreed to deposit half of the payment into her bank account last Friday but she has yet to see the money.“I asked the director to fax a copy of the bank-in slip but she refused,” she says.

- DIRECTOR of Agensi Pekerjaan Roslena Sdn Bhd Roslena Hisham denies the allegation against her agency.“It is untrue. We sent HANISAH four maids, including the temporary one.”

Roslena claims that the maids’ wages were paid by her agency and she did not get anything from HANISAH.“I banked in half of the payment last Friday but it will take a week to 10 days to be processed.“HANISAH will only get the money next week.“I will refund the other half later in the week,” she says.

The director alleges that she had to endure constant pressure from HANISAH and that she had not made any excuses for not being reachable as she was outstation on business.“I am trying to be as professional as I can but it’s not easy when dealing with a difficult client.“My agency has to go through numerous procedures to acquire maids and it takes time,” she says.

Dera anak majikan

Oleh Mohd Sabran Md Sani

KUALA LUMPUR: Seorang pembantu rumah warga Indonesia dihadapkan ke Mahkamah Majistret di sini, semalam, atas tuduhan mendera anak majikannya berusia tiga tahun di sebuah kondominium di sini, pada 28 Ogos lalu.

Reni Neken, 27, dari Kupang, Indonesia, didakwa mendera Goh Ceng Yee, dengan menendang, memijak dan menolak mangsa di ruang tamu kediaman ibu bapanya yang juga majikan tertuduh di No A2-27-08, Putramas 2 Condo, Jalan Kuching.Tertuduh yang berkhidmat sebagai pembantu rumah sejak 23 Mac lalu, didakwa melakukan perbuatan itu antara jam 3.25 petang hingga 3.40 petang, pada 28 Ogos lalu.

Reni didakwa mengikut Seksyen 31(1)(a) Akta Kanak-Kanak 2001 yang boleh dihukum penjara maksimum 10 tahun atau denda atau kedua-duanya jika sabit kesalahan serta dihukum mengikut seksyen sama.

Wanita itu mengaku bersalah atas pertuduhan terbabit, sebelum Majistret Azniza Mohd Ali menetapkan 2 November depan untuk menjatuhkan hukuman serta mendengar fakta kes atas pertuduhan disabitkan.

Pendakwaan dilakukan Cif Inspektor Muhammad Mohd Jais.Sementara itu dalam prosiding berkenaan, pihak pendakwaan membantah sebarang jaminan berikutan tertuduh adalah warga asing.Bagaimanapun Reni yang tidak diwakili peguam bela memohon jasa baik mahkamah supaya memaklumkan perkara itu kepada agensi pekerjaannya di negara ini."Agensi pekerjaan saya harus tahu mengenai perkara ini. Dia tidak tahu masalah saya dan tidak ada orang yang mahu jamin saya pada hari ini (semalam)," katanya dalam rayuan di hadapan Azniza.

Akhbar sebelum ini melaporkan, seorang pembantu rumah warga Indonesia dikatakan berlagak samseng apabila kerap membelasah serta memukul dua anak majikannya ketika ibu bapa mangsa keluar bekerja pada siang hari.Tindakan tidak berperikemanusiaan pembantu rumah terbabit disedari ibu bapa kanak-kanak terbabit selepas anak perempuan mereka yang berusia tiga tahun sering mengadu sakit pada badan dan perut.

Kejadian itu yang kerap kali berlaku menyebabkan majikan terbabit secara sulit memasang kamera web pada komputer untuk merakam gerak-geri pembantu rumah terbabit ketika ketiadaannya di rumah.

Pasangan suami isteri terbabit yang berusia 29 dan 26 tahun terkejut apabila rakaman pada kamera web menunjukkan pembantu rumah itu mendera dan memukul anak mereka sesuka hati.Pembantu rumah itu didakwa turut memukul seorang lagi anak lelaki mangsa yang berusia setahun dan perkara itu terbongkar apabila majikan terbabit terserempak dengan tindakan ganas pembantu rumahnya ketika pulang mengejut pada tengah hari untuk meninjau keadaan anaknya.

Tertuduh juga sebelum ini pernah nekad menyabung nyawa menuruni tingkat 16 kondominium sama dengan mengikat beberapa pakaiannya untuk dijadikan tali dalam cubaan melarikan diri daripada majikannya.Tindakan tertuduh itu hampir memerangkap diri apabila 'tali' dibuatnya menggunakan semua pakaiannya serta tuala, selimut dan pakaian dalam hampir putus sebelum dia panik dan tergantung di celah bangunan pada tingkat 13 kondominium setinggi 30 tingkat itu.

Kejadian itu bagaimanapun disedari orang ramai yang ada di tempat kejadian sebelum memaklumkan ahli persatuan bomba sukarela Wilayah Persekutuan yang kebetulan memberi ceramah di kawasan terbabit.Mangsa kemudian diselamatkan dengan menggunakan tali sebelum dibawa masuk melalui tingkap rumah di tingkat 12 kondominium berkenaan.

Man charged with raping maid

Tuesday September 18, 2007MYT 6:15:16 PM
By M. MAGESWARI

KUALA LUMPUR: Information technology manager Matsidi Samad, 29, was charged on Tuesday with three counts of raping his Indonesian maid in an apartment in Jalan Midah 8 in Cheras.

He was said to have raped the 34-year-old maid at midnight on July 1, at 1am on July 16 and midnight of July 24 respectively.

The maid, who is married with two children from Surabaya, had lodged a police report over the matter on July 29.

If convicted, Matsidi can be sentenced up to 20 years' jail and whipped for each of the three charges under Section 376 of the Penal Code.

Upon hearing his charges read out on Tuesday, Matsidi, whose eight-month pregnant wife had divorced him after the alleged incident, appeared composed.
He was said to have a child from his wife, who is an army doctor.

DPP Geethan Ram Vincent asked the court to deny bail saying that the offence was serious and that there is a possibility of him tampering with the prosecution's witness.

"There is a complaint that the accused had tried to attack the victim (when she told the story to his family) and it has been brought to the attention of the police," said the prosecutor.
He said the prosecution would suggest the bail be set at RM15,000 in one surety for each charge if the court decided to use its discretion to grant him bail.

DPP Geethan said the prosecution also wanted the court to impose additional bail conditions such as prohibiting him from contacting the witness.
He said the victim was currently staying with Matsidi's wife.
To this, his lawyer Najmuddin Daud said the accused had divorced his wife after the allegation was made against him.

Najmuddin asked for lower bail saying that the accused just started to work for a private company two months ago and that Matsidi, who is the third son of six siblings had to support his parents and siblings.

Sessions Court judge Mohd Nasir Nordin set his bail at RM10,000 in one surety and ordered him to report to the nearest police station once a month until the disposal of the case.
Mohd Nasir also forbade him from contacting the victim or he risked having his bail withdrawn.
He set Sept 26 for mention to fix a trial date after DPP Geethan said the prosecution wanted the court to hear the evidence of the maid soon.

Maid threatens to jump off building

PENANG: An Indonesian maid, who threatened to jump off from a 32-storey apartment block in Sungai Dua, was coaxed into giving up after an hour.

An apartment security guard, who declined to be named, said the maid was seen perching on the railings along the corridor of one of the floors at about 1am yesterday.
He said he alerted the police and Fire Services and Rescue Department after several attempts to get her off the railings failed.

Police and firemen managed to get the maid to safety at about 2am, he said.
The 22-year-old woman was sent to the Penang Hospital for a check-up.
Police sources said she made a police report later claiming that she resorted to committing suicide because she could not tolerate the constant abuse from the employer.

Police are investigating the allegation. The maid is reported to be in stable condition.
It is understood that she would be handed over to the Indonesian Consulate soon.

Jakarta gesa KL segera dakwa majikan dera amah

JAKARTA: Indonesia semalam menggesa Malaysia mempercepatkan kes pendakwaan terhadap majikan yang dituduh mendera pembantu rumah warga Jakarta.Malah, Jakarta menegaskan Kuala Lumpur perlu mengenakan hukuman seberat-beratnya yang bertindak sebagai cara mengelak kejadian sama berulang.

Gesaan itu dibuat di tengah-tengah hubungan tegang di antara dua negara jiran itu membabitkan kes membabitkan dakwaan seorang jurulatih karate Indonesia oleh polis Malaysia.Dua kes penderaan terbaru membabitkan tindakan pembantu rumah yang sanggup keluar menerusi tingkap pangsapuri menggunakan tali, atas alasan tidak tahan didera majikan Malaysia mereka.Bulan lalu, seorang wanita Malaysia didakwa kerana terbabit dalam pembunuhan pembantu rumahnya.“Kami berharap kerajaan Malaysia mengambil tindakan tegas yang dapat menjadi cara mengelak perkara itu berulang,” tegas jurucakap Kementerian Luar, Kristiarto Legowo pada sidang media, semalam.

Dalam satu kes tiga tahun lalu, seorang pembantu rumah Indonesia mendakwa dia didera dengan seterika, dicurah air panas oleh isteri majikannya. Perbicaraan kes itu masih berlangsung.Kemarahan Indonesia dikatakan semakin ketara selepas insiden mendakwa jurulatih karate itu dikasari polisMalaysia sudah membuat permohonan rasmi berhubung kejadian itu yang menyaksikan rakyat Indonesia mengadakan beratus-ratus bantahan di sekitar negara itu, selain tindakan ahli Parlimennya meminta produk Malaysia diboikot.

Kuala Lumpur turut menegaskan, biarpun kira-kira 1,200 pembantu rumah Indonesia itu lari daripada majikan mereka setiap bulan, ia tidak merancang mewujudkan satu peraturan khas mengenai pekerjaan itu. – Reuters

Betrayed by former maid

Friday September 7, 2007

PENANG: An Indonesian man was arrested in connection with a rape-cum-robbery case involving a 38-year-old businesswoman in Tanjung Bungah here.

George Town deputy OCPD Supt Gan Kong Meng said the man, a construction worker, was picked up at about 3am in Tanjung Tokong on Wednes- day.
“He was the second suspect arrested in connection with the incident on Monday.
“We are looking for another Indonesian man, whom we have identified, to assist in investigations into the case,” he said.

An Indonesian woman, who was the victim’s former maid, was picked up in Datuk Keramat on Tuesday, he said yesterday.
She was believed to have passed the apartment keys to the duo, he said.
The businesswoman was sleeping when the duo entered her bedroom at about 4.30am that day. They then blindfolded and tied her up before raping her.

They ransacked her apartment before fleeing with her hand-phone, cash and several bottles of liquor totalling more than RM4,000.

‘Try-before-you-hire’ illegal maid service

Wednesday September 5, 2007
Other News & ViewsCompiled by NG SI HOOI AND A. RAMAN

A SYNDICATE is offering “maid express” service for RM100, Kosmo! reported.
The syndicate is active in the Klang Valley, including Shah Alam and Puchong.
Those interested can try out the service of the maids before hiring them permanently.
The daily's reporter went undercover and found out that the service received encouraging response. Maids were being hired everyday.

According to the person in charge, known only as Ibu Tuti, those interested could come anytime to pick up the maids from her house.
“If you interested, we have one maid available now.
“But they do not have any valid document except their passports,” Ibu Tuti told the reporter.
It is learned that some of the maids had run away from their previous employers.

“Some had just arrived from their villages (in Indonesia) and some had changed to different employers as they could not stand the work,” she said.
Malaysian Association of Foreign Housemaids Agencies president Datuk Raja Zulkepley Dahalan warned those hiring an illegal maid of the complications that may arise later.