An Indonesian reporter who went to Malaysia to write a special report on allegations of abuse and exploitation of Indonesian workers in the country was last week assaulted and raped by a man who tricked her into believing that he could provide her with information.
According to reports, the 34-year-old magazine journalist was lured by a man, believed to be also Indonesian, to a rumah kongsi (a clanhouse), where he raped her. The suspect is believed to have tricked the journalist into believing he could help her obtain information for her report.
Acting on a tip-off, police stormed the rumah kongsi in Liman Kati where the victim was held captive. “We rescued the woman and arrested the suspect after hearing the story from the victim. “She had bruises on her face from beatings with a wooden ash-tray,†police said. The journalist was sent to the Kuala Kangsar Hospital for examination.
Perak deputy police chief Datuk Hadi Ho Abdullah said the 57-year-old contract worker had documents bearing three different names when he was detained on Tuesday last. “He had three different names in an Indonesian passport, an old Malaysian identity card and a status document saying he is from Indonesia. “We are checking with the Indonesian Embassy to determine whether he is local,†he told a press conference in Ipoh.
Indonesian Embassy First Secretary (Information) Eka Suripto said the case would be dealt with according to Malaysian laws. “The woman is now with the Indonesian consulate in Penang,†Eka said.
A representative of the Indonesian consulate in Penang, Moenir, said the woman had arrived in Malaysia last Sunday. “We have yet to talk to her to get more information about her, in order to inform her family,†he said.
