GEORGE TOWN: Civil society group, Tenaganita, has expressed outrage over yet another death of a domestic worker.
“Why are we letting this happen again and again?
“The rules and regulations within the Employment Act for domestic workers seem not to be protect domestic workers.
“What we need is a separate legislation for them,” Tenaganita director Glorene Das said.
Indonesian maid, Adelina, 21, from Medan, died yesterday, following suspected repeated abuse by her employers.
According to Glorene, as long as they are defined as domestic servants and maids in the Employment Act, it creates the mindset and mentality of a master-servant relationship.
She added that one death of a girl, a domestic worker, was one too many.
“We seriously need to address the root cause of why employers feel it is perfectly normal to abuse a domestic worker.
“There needs to be effective policies and legislation to protect maids like Adelina from abusive employers,” she stressed.
It was reported that Adelina was rescued by police on Saturday following suspected repeated abuse by her employers.
She died at 4.45pm yesterday while being treated at the Bukit Mertajam Hospital.
When found at her employer’s home at Taman Kota Permai, Bukit Mertajam, she had severe injuries on her head and face, and infected wounds on her hands and legs.
Her plight came to light after a police report was lodged by an aide to the Bukit Mertajam member of parliament.