Indonesian presidential
hopeful on mission to “save” teenage maid accused of murder
The
Malaysian Insider – 11 hours ago
Hoping to
leverage on a case that has captured Indonesian public imagination,
presidential hopeful Prabowo Subianto will be flying to Kota Baru tomorrow with
a top Malaysian lawyer for the trial of Wilfrida Soik, an Indonesian migrant
worker who is facing the death sentence if found guilty of killing her
Malaysian employer.
The
Indonesians feel that compassion should be shown towards Wilfrida who they
believe is a victim of human trafficking. Last week, Indonesian lawmakers
appealed to Putrajaya to show leniency to Wilfrida.
Prabowo has
hired lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah (pic) to help Wilfrida whose case
is now in the final stages of trial.
Shafee told
The Malaysian Insider today that he will represent Wilfrida in court.
"Wilfrida's
case is fixed for hearing at the Kota Baru High Court tomorrow. I will be
taking over the case at the submissions stage of the prosecution's case,"
he said today.
"I will
be making certain applications to put the case on the right track," he
said.
Prabowo,
from the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra), is going all out to
"save" Wilfrida and is contemplating a direct appeal to Prime
Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
The
Tribunnews.com online portal reported that Prabowo studied in Kuala Lumpur when
his father, Sumitro Djoyohadikusumo, was based in Malaysia. He has a good
relationship with Najib as their fathers were close friends.
Wilfrida,
17, has been working since she was 12 and is said to be a victim of human
trafficking.
It was
reported that in 2010, Wilfrida was approached by some men who managed to get
her a job in Malaysia through the Indonesian Ministry of Labour's agency in
Belu.
To help her
enter Malaysia, they falsified her papers, passing her off as an adult.
Once in
Malaysia, Wilfrida was employed as a maid in the house of an elderly lady in
Johor.
The old
lady, who suffered from Parkinson's disease, was found dead on December 7,
2010.
Wilfrida was
arrested less than two weeks later.
Poempida
Hidayatulloh, a member of the committee which oversees manpower affairs in the
Indonesian legislature, said Wilfrida is a victim of human trafficking
and as such he urged the Malaysian government to consider humanitarian factors
given its commitment to stemming human trafficking.
Poempida
also said that not showing leniency to Wilfrida would go against the government's
efforts to deport illegal workers and would bring into question the Malaysian
government's commitment to fight human trafficking.
"If
Wilfrida's case continues, then her employer and the agent who had recruited
Wilfrida should also be held accountable for human trafficking," the
Jakarta Globe reported him as saying.
Malaysia
employs some 220,000 housemaids from Indonesia, followed by Hong Kong (152,000)
and Singapore (90,000) but a number of high-profile abuse cases has led to
Indonesia reviewing the supply to Malaysia and these countries.
Jakarta has
also tightened the rules for its nationals working as maids in Malaysia. The
Indonesian Embassy labour attaché in Kuala Lumpur, Agus Triyanto, told The
Malaysian Insider last month that from 2017, Indonesian maids working in
Malaysia must not live in the homes of their employers. - September 29, 2013.
SOURCE: http://my.news.yahoo.com/indonesian-presidency-aspirant-mission-save-murder-suspect-wilfrida-110408337.html
(30 September 2013)
QUESTIONS:
Q: Is Kota Bharu in Johor?
Q: Is Prabowo Subianto does not trust Malaysian Court (Justice)?
What does you mean, "I will be making certain
applications to put the case on the right track,"
Q: Read the following statements carefully...
“Prabowo, from the
Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra), is going all out to "save"
Wilfrida and is contemplating a direct appeal to Prime Minister Datuk Seri
Najib Razak. The Tribunnews.com online portal reported that Prabowo studied in
Kuala Lumpur when his father, Sumitro Djoyohadikusumo, was based in Malaysia.
He has a good relationship with Najib as their fathers were close friends”.
Prabowo Subianto, are
you trying to influence Malaysian Judicial System (and process) with “political
cum Executive Power”?