Government Mulling Special Unit To Address Maid Abuse

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 27 (Bernama) -- The Home Ministry is considering setting up a special unit by pooling the resources of several ministries to find the best way to address cases of maid abuse in the country, Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said Tuesday.
He would raise the matter at the Cabinet meeting, he told reporters at Parliament House when asked how the government would go about tackling the cases of maid abuse following the death yesterday of Indonesian maid Mantik Hani after alleged abuse by her employer recently.
Mantik, 36, died at the Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital yesterday, six days after she was admitted to the hospital where, Hishammuddin said, doctors tried their best to save her life.
The minister said the government would not compromise on the question of safety of the people, regardless of nationality.
"I will not compromise in such matters. Safety is a right of everyone ... not only Malaysians but anyone who is on Malaysian soil," he said.
Hishammuddin said he had learned from Deputy Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar, who headed the probe, that the investigation papers were being readied for submission to the Attorney General's Chambers.
"I hope the case will be brought to court as soon as possible because, in the context of bilateral relations with Indonesia, it is in the people's interest to see that the case is brought to court and judgement served immediately," he said.
Hishammuddin said the death of Mantik could not be construed as weakness on the part of the government in addressing such cases as it had to be seen in the overall context taking into account the 280,000 Indonesian maids in the country.
"I hope everyone will understand such abuse can happen because there are people who would go to the extent of doing it ... it is impossible for us to monitor all employers," he said.

tunku : only animal can do that to human being.i don't think that mantik's employer is a human being.it must a be a very wild animal.how can a human being do this type of disgusting act.we hope the police will put the employer behind bars asap.while we applaud the government effort in setting up a special unit to address maid abuse we want the government to set up a special unit to address maid misconducts too.