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Embassy urges Singapore to act upon violence against Indonesian worker
It is claimed that Sugiyem experiences vision and hearing loss due to the alleged abuse carried out by her latest employer since 2019.
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A migrant worker rests in his room at a dormitory during the COVID-19 outbreak in Singapore on April 28, 2020. (REUTERS/Edgar Su)
T
he Indonesian Embassy in Singapore has urged the Singaporean government to act upon a report of alleged violence committed against an Indonesian migrant worker in the city-state.
On Wednesday, the embassy received a report from the Agency for the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers (BP2MI) office in Semarang, Central Java that a migrant worker identified as Sugiyem from Pati, East Java had been allegedly abused by her employer.
“The Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Singapore delivers a letter to the Singaporean Foreign Ministry to follow up on the alleged violence committed by a Singaporean citizen against an Indonesian worker from Pati,” read a statement from the embassy on Tuesday.
The representative also notified Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower and the police to follow up on the case, saying that legal measures would ensure that the victim receives justice.
The embassy would also coordinate with related agencies in Indonesia to obtain evidence of the violence.
Read also: Former Indonesian migrant worker sues prosecutors over false guilty charge
According to the embassy, Sugiyem was employed directly by an employer in 2015 and departed to Singapore through Batam, Riau Islands. She had changed workplaces twice since she started working in the country.
Her latest employer sent Sugiyem, who was already sick, back to Indonesia on Oct. 23. The worker said her employer had repeatedly beaten her since 2019 on several parts of her head and body, including her eyes, back and ears.
The representative claimed that Sugiyem now experienced vision and hearing loss due to the alleged abuse.
The embassy also claimed it had given Sugiyem an Indonesian Worker Card to contact the office. But her latest employer took away her mobile phone, preventing her from seeking assistance.
“Sugiyem’s presence in Singapore is legal or in accordance with the provisions,” the embassy wrote.
Indonesian migrant workers were also advised to be cautious in accepting jobs overseas, urging them to ensure that they were employed legally and signed an employment agreement. They were also advised to report any violent acts against them to the embassy or other relevant agencies.
Indonesian citizens in Singapore can reach the embassy’s emergency hotline on +6592953964 through phone calls and WhatsApp.
