Eksploitasi 6 buruh Indonesia, 2 beradik dipenjara 7 tahun

A Malaysian court sentenced two Indonesian sisters to seven years in prison for human trafficking, alleging they withheld wages and passports of six Indonesian women to exploit them as forced labor. The Malaysian High Court, presided by Judge Norhazimah Shaiffuddin, ruled that Lie Ying Har and Lie Ying Ping failed to provide reasonable doubt against the accused.

Each sister withheld wages from the six women for several years, causing them financial dependency on the two accused, and also held their passports, preventing them from moving freely, according to the judge. Initially, the six women were employed as housekeepers, before later being directed to work in the sisters' shops selling household items and toys.

All of the women allegedly did not challenge their work conditions due to financial control by the two accused. One victim had not received any salary since 2012 until 2020 and was informed that they had no valid work permit, causing the victim to fear moving and worrying about being apprehended. Five of the women testified that they were afraid of being ridiculed or abused by Ying Ping if they made mistakes while working, according to the judge.

Each sister also lacked knowledge of how their wages were calculated and paid, according to the judge. Norhazimah stated that this situation resembles modern-day slavery, as the women were unable to leave their homes due to fear of losing their accumulated wages over the years, demonstrating the sisters' use of wage withholding as a mechanism of control and coercion over the accused victims.

Both were charged on November 27, 2020, with two counts under Section 12 of the Anti-Smuggling and Anti-Trafficking Act 2007 (ATISA), while Ying Ping faced five charges under the same provision. Both pleaded not guilty.