An employer can be charged with human-trafficking if he fails to provide valid documents for the foreign maids, says Suhakam.
KUALA LUMPUR: Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) said sheltering foreigners without valid documents in a home is tantamount to human trafficking or forced labour.
Its commissioner, James Nayagam said an employer could be charged with human-trafficking if investigations showed that he had sheltered his maids who did not have proper documents.
Nayagam was responding to a FMT article on Sept 27 where a Filipino maid, who had been jailed and awaiting deportation, planned to sue her employer and the police force upon her return to the Philippines.
Jemie Ramos, who is now under detention at the Machap Umboo Immigration Detention Centre in Malacca, claimed her employer, who is a lawyer, failed to process her work permit.
She said she was arrested at her employer’s house on Sept 9 with another colleague Lisa Balajadia for not having valid documents.
Nayagam said Suhakam would act upon receiving the report and investigate further.
Police report against employer
A group of church members meanwhile had lodged a police report claiming that they knew the employer, who is also a local church leader.
A church member said the employer had sheltered the maids for two years and urged the police to investigate the matter.
“We read the FMT report and we know the maids and the employer. We have seen the maids in church and at the employer’s home,” he said.
“We are surprised how the person who employed them was not charged while the maids are,” he said.
The church member lodged a report at the Petaling police station on Saturday and produced evidence to help in the investigation.
“We also showed the police videos and pictures of the maids working in their employer’s home,” he added.
Responding to the molest allegations as claimed by the maid, he said he knew the church leader was a womaniser but never thought that he would outrage the modesty of his own maids.
“We are not concerned about his personal life. We want the employer to be responsible and send the maids back to their country at his expenses,” he added.
KUALA LUMPUR: Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) said sheltering foreigners without valid documents in a home is tantamount to human trafficking or forced labour.Its commissioner, James Nayagam said an employer could be charged with human-trafficking if investigations showed that he had sheltered his maids who did not have proper documents.
Nayagam was responding to a FMT article on Sept 27 where a Filipino maid, who had been jailed and awaiting deportation, planned to sue her employer and the police force upon her return to the Philippines.
Jemie Ramos, who is now under detention at the Machap Umboo Immigration Detention Centre in Malacca, claimed her employer, who is a lawyer, failed to process her work permit.
She said she was arrested at her employer’s house on Sept 9 with another colleague Lisa Balajadia for not having valid documents.
Nayagam said Suhakam would act upon receiving the report and investigate further.
Police report against employer
A group of church members meanwhile had lodged a police report claiming that they knew the employer, who is also a local church leader.
A church member said the employer had sheltered the maids for two years and urged the police to investigate the matter.
“We read the FMT report and we know the maids and the employer. We have seen the maids in church and at the employer’s home,” he said.
“We are surprised how the person who employed them was not charged while the maids are,” he said.
The church member lodged a report at the Petaling police station on Saturday and produced evidence to help in the investigation.
“We also showed the police videos and pictures of the maids working in their employer’s home,” he added.
Responding to the molest allegations as claimed by the maid, he said he knew the church leader was a womaniser but never thought that he would outrage the modesty of his own maids.
“We are not concerned about his personal life. We want the employer to be responsible and send the maids back to their country at his expenses,” he added.
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