Malaysian man jailed six years in Australia for keeping Indonesian woman as slave

A Malaysian man has been sentenced to six years in Australian prison for enslaving and abusing an Indonesian woman, according to Free Malaysia Today and ABC News. The victim, in her sixties, was forced into domestic servitude and subjected to repeated physical abuse by the 47-year-old man, Chong Chee Kit. Judge Michael Cahill described Chong's actions as callous and cruel, noting that he treated the woman like property.

Chong restricted the woman's access to food, medical care, and sleep, and prevented her from leaving the house. The court heard that Chong met the woman at a Malaysian church in 2015 and developed a "mother-son" relationship with her. She moved to Australia in 2017 to live with the couple, but was left homeless for four years when they returned to Malaysia without informing her.

In 2022, Chong made the woman borrow money from relatives to cover living expenses, and she eventually escaped in October of that year. She was found several days later and taken to a hospital, where her situation was discovered. Chong's wife, Angie Liaw, was not charged with aiding in the enslavement. Chong is eligible for parole in 2030 and will be deported to Malaysia upon completion of his sentence.

Slavery is a federal offense in Australia, punishable by up to 25 years in prison. The woman passed away from natural causes in 2024.