June 22, 2007
KUALA LUMPUR (AP): Malaysia's government established a 24-hour telephone hot line on Thursday that foreign housemaids can call for help if their bosses abuse them.
The hot line was created after an Indonesian maid escaped from the 15th floor apartment of her allegedly abusive employer last Saturday by climbing down a makeshift rope.
The Home Affairs Ministry has set aside special phone numbers to receive calls from mistreated maids, as well as people who might want to report such abuse, said Azura Shamsuddin, a ministry official who was handling calls to the hot line.
"It's our first day. So far, we've not received any complaints about maid abuse," Azura said.
Officials will evaluate each call and determine what action should be taken, she added.
Indonesian maid Ceriyati Dapin, 33, fled her employer's Kuala Lumpur apartment on Saturday by using a rope made from pieces of cloth to descend three floors outside the building before shefroze from fear and was rescued by firefighters.
Dapin said she had been repeatedly beaten and starved by her employer, who is reportedly now in police custody.
Malaysia relies heavily on foreign laborers - mainly Indonesians - for menial work, including in construction sites and plantations.
Officials say some 1,200 Indonesian housemaids run away every month, often because of mistreatment or dissatisfaction over long working hours, lack of freedom or unpaid salaries. (**)
