Kuala Lumpur, Northern Perlis, Malaysia

Lee In Chiew Age: 49 Businessman and former teacher Was charged in a district court in northern Perlis state Monday with multiple counts of human trafficking. 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. 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.

Location

Malaysia · Kuala Lumpur, Northern Perlis · 2010 (location generalized to protect survivors)

Response & intervention

All of the alleged victims are Indonesians between ages 17 and 33. Kumarathiraviam said three of the maids ran away from the accused and lodged a report with authorities, which led to his arrest on 24 July. 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. http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/home/malaysian-charged-with-exploiting-63-indonesians-in-massive-human-trafficking-case/395018 http://www.english.rfi.fr/asia-pacific/20100907-malaysian-man-charged-trafficking-63-indonesian-women However, the public is reminded that neither a complaint nor indictment are evidence of guilt and that all defendants in a criminal case are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Sources

Documented on the original SlaveryMap (2008–2016). Use “Report a problem” below to add a source or flag an issue.

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