BEING FRANK: What if foreign workers abandon Malaysia?
As published in Malay Mail today. Being Frank By Frankie D'Cruz THE eight-month torture of 23-year-old Indonesian house help, Meriance Kabu, who was starved, stomped on, had her teeth pulled out savagely and endured sharp objects struck in her private part by her lesbian employers continues to reveal attitudes of astounding ingratitude on our part. Every Malaysian has to take responsibility for such barbarism. If Meriance’s case was black-hearted, isn’t it similar to many of us trampling on foreign workers daily? The crime may not be the same, but isn’t it criminal of us to run over those who ease our domestic and service-oriented burdens? Meriance’s abuse comes amid a stalemate between Malaysia and Indonesia involving domestic help, whom we should rightly call extended family members. Again we have not convinced our neighbour that the safety of their citizens working here can be assured. Although Indonesia shares very much the same cultural multiplicity as ours, w...