KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia police in Lengkok Pemancar Gelugor reported that an Indian maid was found hanged at her employer's house on Sunday night. The Bernama news agency reported that the women, in her 40s, has not been identified as the employer who has her identification documents was reportedly in the capital, Kuala Lumpur when the believed suicide took place. Police in the Northeast of the country said that a neighbor had been sent to check on the woman and the police were called when the body was discovered. It was the second such suicide in the Northeast District by an Indian maid this year, police said, highlighting the ongoing debate over domestic workers' rights in the country. Many argue that the employer has too much power over the women who come to Malaysia, holding their documentation and ostensibly barring them from traveling home for vacations. “It is a very sticky situation that we have here in Malaysia,” said Usman bin Hamed, a social worker who has worked with domestic workers on assisting them deal with their new surroundings and the difficulty of working in a foreign country. He told Bikyamasr.com that “what we are witnessing is evidence that the entire system needs reform. Even one maid who commits suicide over their working conditions must attract the attention of the authorities and be investigated immediately.” Police, in this case, said that they have found no evidence that the woman was mistreated, but are awaiting an autopsy to see if there had been any foul play before making any potential arrests. Thousands of domestic workers from India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh and soon Indonesia live and work in the country, although Jakarta has only recently lifted a moratorium on sending domestic workers to Malaysia over reports of maltreatment and abuse caused the government to bar women from going to Malaysia.
