Nasib pembantu di mana-mana banyak yang tragis. Di Timur Tengah (kebanyakan majikannya Arab), di Singapore (kebanyakan majikannya Cina), di Malaysia (majikannya Melayu, Cina atau India) di Amerika (majikannya ada orang India dan ada juga orang Indonesia) banyak pembantu yang diperlakukan dengan kejam. Di Singapore, dalam beberapa tahun terakhir lebih dari 60 pembantu Indonesia meninggal, kebanyak bunuh diri karena tidak tahan dengan perlakuan majikannya tapi ada juga yang dibunuh. Indonesian hatches unusual freedom plan*17th June 2007, 12:34 WST*
<http://ad.au.doubleclick.net/click%3Bh=v8/3574/3/0/%2a/k%3B92507850%3B0-0%3B3%3B14327441%3B4307-300/250%3B20470305/20488199/1%3B%3B%7Esscs%3D%3fhttp://www.thewest.com.au/footytips07><http://ad.au.doubleclick.net/jump/thewest_news/breaking_news;tile=9;sz=300x250;ord=123456789?> An Indonesian housemaid who claimed she was beaten by her Malaysian boss tried to escape by climbing out the window of a 16th-floor apartment using a rope made from pieces of cloth. The 33-year-old maid, identified only as Shamelin, descended to the 12th floor of a suburban Kuala Lumpur apartment block on Saturday before she froze out of fear and was rescued by firefighters, the New Straits Times and The Star newspapers reported. A tearful Shamelin later told reporters that her female employer would lock her in the apartment whenever she went out. "She has a bad temper," Shamelin was quoted as saying by The Star. "She tries to strangle me. If I make a mistake, she will starve me. She has hurt me so many times by beating me." Shamelin, who started working for her current employer five months ago, had bruises on her face and body, the New Straits Times said. A police official in Kuala Lumpur's Sentul district said the case was under investigation, but declined to provide any details. Shamelin, who is from Indonesia's Sumatra island, was sent to hospital. More than 300,000 Indonesians work as housemaids in Malaysia, according to government figures. Malaysia relies heavily on foreign labourers - mainly Indonesians - for menial work, including in construction sites and plantations. Officials say some 1,200 Indonesian housemaids run away every month, often because of mistreatment or dissatisfaction over long working hours, lack of freedom of movement or unpaid salaries. AP
