The Ministry of Foreign Affairs Successfully Pursues Justice for Indonesian Migrant Worker from East Nusa Tenggara

Thepresidentpost.id - Penang, Malaysia - The Penang High Court granted compensation in a wrongful death civil lawsuit for the late Adelia Lisao, an Indonesian Migrant Worker (PMI) from East Nusa Tenggara, who died in 2018 allegedly due to abuse by her employer (8/2). The lawsuit was filed by the heir of the late Adelina Lisao, Yohana Banunaek, with the facilitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the Consulate General of Indonesia in Penang, Malaysia.

The Consul General of Indonesia in Penang, Wanton Saragih, welcomed the decision of the judge to grant compensation. "This court ruling shows that there is justice for the late Adelina Lisao and for the family she left behind," said Wanton.

The Director for the Protection of Indonesian Citizens at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Judha Nugraha, conveyed that legal assistance to fight for the rights of Adelina Lisao has been a priority for the government since the beginning. This decision is expected to serve as a deterrent to employers who treat migrant workers inhumanely.

The Judge of the Penang High Court, YA Dato Anand Ponnudurai, decided to grant compensation of RM 750,000 to the family of the late Adelina Lisao. This amount consists of RM 250,000 for distress and RM 500,000 for the suffering experienced by Adelina Lisao. The judge also imposed travel expenses of RM 25,000 incurred by the heirs to come to Malaysia. Additionally, an interest of 5% per year will be imposed on the defendant until the compensation is paid, with calculations starting from the date the case was filed in the Penang High Court in August 2023.

On November 30, 2023, the Penang High Court also granted a lawsuit related to funeral expenses amounting to RM 21,427.57 and unpaid wages by the employer amounting to RM 54,000.

Although the defendants, former employers of Adelina, and their lawyer were absent from the trial, the judge still granted the lawsuit. The chronology of events began in February 2018 when Adelina Lisao was found at her employer's house with bruising on her head, hands, and feet due to abuse and neglect. Adelina Lisao passed away on February 11, 2018, at Bukit Mertajam Hospital, Penang, a day after being taken out of her employer's house.

The Indonesian government, through the Consulate General and the Directorate of the Protection of Indonesian Nationals, has made efforts to seek justice for Adelina through criminal legal channels and appeals to the Federal Court in Putrajaya. Although these efforts failed on June 23, 2022, the Indonesian government and the law firm Presgrave & Matthews continued to pursue justice through civil proceedings until the court's decision was obtained.