Indonesian domestic worker to sue 'Tan Sri' for 12 years' unpaid wages

Following her brave escape from a Kota Damansara house where she allegedly worked without wages for the past 12 years, a domestic worker was dealt a further blow for apparently not giving her employer a two-week termination notice.

The domestic worker, who declined to be named, sought refuge with the Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur the very same day she fled her 18-hour per day employment with a wealthy employer, said to be a Tan Sri in his 70s.

An embassy spokesperson said they had engaged a lawyer to issue a letter of demand to the employer, claiming the domestic worker’s unpaid wages totalled RM106,000.

After the letter was sent, her former employer's son responded by filing a claim with the Labour Department for payment in lieu of a 14-day termination notice.

“The RM500 claim is estimated to be the sum equal to the salary that the domestic worker would have earned during the 14-day notice period,” said the spokesperson, adding that the domestic worker was the last and longest-serving of three domestic workers who had fled the same residence in the past three years.

The embassy and domestic worker are withholding the name of the employer for legal reasons.

The petite domestic worker, who is less than 1.5m tall, said she tolerated 12 years of constant berating, perpetual physical fatigue and was even slapped by her employer on an occasion when she misplaced a medicinal tablet.

“I wake up at 5am and start work without breakfast because I needed to get some of the chores done before the madam of the house woke. She is an early riser and berated me if work was not done.

“I only sleep after she has gone to bed, usually around midnight,” said the domestic worker, adding that during...