Malaysian Charged with Exploiting 63 Indonesians in Massive Human Trafficking Case

Jakarta Globe, September 07, 2010

Kuala Lumpur. A Malaysian court charged a man with exploiting 63 Indonesian women who claimed they were lured to Malaysia and forced to work as house cleaners with little or no pay, a lawyer said on Tuesday.

Lee In Chiew, a 49-year-old businessman, was charged in a district court in northern Perlis state Monday with multiple counts of human trafficking, his lawyer K. Kumarathiraviam said.

If found guilty, he could face up to 20 years in prison on some of the counts.

Kumarathiraviam said he believed it was the biggest case of alleged human trafficking brought into Malaysian courts so far. No plea was recorded, and the next court date is Oct. 13, he said.

Authorities rescued the 63 women, together with eight others who have already returned to Indonesia, from Lee’s house in July after three managed to flee and called help.

The women, promised work as maids for 500 ringgit ($160) a month, claimed they were forced to work long hours as cleaners at various houses, mostly without pay, for at least two years. The youngest rescued woman is 17 years old.

Malaysia employs nearly 2 million foreigners, mostly from poorer regional countries, in its construction, plantation, manufacturing and service industries. Many complain of overwork, unpaid salaries and sometimes even physical abuse, but prosecutions have been rare.

Associated Press

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