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number of organizations held a media conference on Sunday to dispute a statement by a member of House of Representative Commission IV Fanny Afriansyah, known as Ivan Haz, who claimed that he did not abuse his child'€™s nanny, Toipah, and insisted that her injuries were sustained in an accident.

'€œWe confirm that Ivan and his wife committed the abuse, inflicting wounds on several parts of Toipah'€™s body. We urge the police to prosecute them regardless of Ivan'€™s position as a legislator,'€ said Bunga Siagian from the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH Jakarta) in a media conference held by LBH Jakarta, the Women'€™s Legal Aid Foundation (LBH APIK) and the National Network for Domestic Workers Advocacy (Jala PRT).

LBH Jakarta is legal counselor for the victim.

She further said that Ivan, who is a son of former vice president Hamzah Haz, and his wife, Amna Susilowati, physically abused Toipah each time their child cried, beating and kicking her as well as hitting her against the floor and throwing a mosquito spray can at her. As a result, the nanny suffered a gash on the head and bruises on the back. Her ear was injured and was so swollen that it needed stitches, Bunga added.

Bunga also said that, in addition, the alleged abusers provided Toipah only with one meal per day and had not paid her salary for two months.

According to Bunga, Ivan and Amna have two other domestic workers in their employment, but the organizations could not contact them as the legislator and his wife had confiscated their cell phones, preventing them from communicating with others. The couple have also reportedly retained their ID cards.

Ivan and Amna were reported to the Jakarta Police on Thursday by Toipah, who fled their house the previous day. Toipah told the police that she had worked for them since May with a monthly salary of Rp 2.2 million (US$149). She added that since July, her employers had abused her every time their child cried.

Ivan disputed the accusation on Friday, saying that Toipah had carelessly put his child in danger, which had upset his wife. He added that Toipah appeared to be afraid of his wife and had climbed the fence to escape and fell.

Ivan regretted that the nanny filed a police report as he and his wife preferred to solve problems amicably.

'€œI know who I am. My parents are also honorable people. It is impossible I committed the abuse,'€ said Ivan, a politician with United Development Party (PPP).

Meanwhile, the head of the PPP faction at the House, Hasrul Azwar, told tempo.co on Saturday that he would meet with Ivan on Monday to ask for an explanation on the alleged abuse. Hasrul further added that he had not heard about the case from Ivan but from the media.

Ivan previously featured in the news in 2003 after he was allegedly involved in illegal car sales. He was also accused of assaulting a car dealer. There is no record of the police detaining him.

Meanwhile, Lita Anggraini from Jala PRT said that Toipah was currently under the protection of her organization, LBH Jakarta, and LBH Apik. She refused to discuss her condition, saying that the organizations were ensuring her safety.

She added that currently her organization had listed 376 similar abuse cases that had been exposed by the media and similar organizations. Thus, she urged the government and the House to soon pass the domestic workers protection bill, which has been fought for by several organizations, including Jala PRT, since 2004. (agn)