| Al-Fatihah and an urgent appeal to all parliamentarians |  |  |  |
| Posted by admin | |
| Monday, 05 May 2008 10:33 | |
| Please join me in this forum to offer condolences and to send this urgent message to the relevant authorities concerning a matter of national interest. This is an urgent matter to us as we leave home daily selling our labour to the State. Dr. Azly Rahman dr.azly.rahman@gmail.com Sad sad day. Letter to the Editor/Relevant Authorities/ On the night of 29 April, my dear sister was brutally murdered in her bedroom; she had sustained head injuries, her internal organs severely ruptured. What would the last moments have been for her before she died? Did she expect the blow to come from someone she trusted and took into the safety of her own home? How she must have put up a fight, worrying for our aged mother, blissfully unaware of the gruesome murder taking place in the next room. My sister was found the next day sprawling in a pool of blood. She was 62 and lived with my mother,84 years of age and an Indonesian maid. There was no sign of forced entry. The Indonesian maid had disappeared, leaving her bloodstained clothes behind. From the evidence, according to police, the maid is the prime suspect. How can I describe the essence that was my sister Habnah? The newspaper reports only describe her as a victim, maybe just another one of many that we read about so often in the papers over tea or coffee, or while waiting to catch the bus. That victim, my sister was so much more. She was generous as she was kind. It took her sudden death for us to realize how much she gave of herself, to each member of our very large, close knit family and especially to my aged mother-making sure she took her daily supplements, reminding her of her meals, her rest, managing the repairs of the house, groceries, my mother's daily meals, finances, medical health, as well as the 1001 things that a loving and dutiful daughter does every day for a much beloved mother. How could this have happened? Could it be possible that a person we had let into our home to take care of two elderly women was the perpetrator of this heinous crime? My late sister was always careful to lock all doors and windows as precautions for security. But what precautions can one take when the criminal is locked in? We had engaged the maid from an authorized agency, had complied with all the procedures, made the requisite payments. Do we not have a right to expect that the maids we employ had at least been vetted to ensure that we are not letting into our homes psychotic, deranged persons who commit unspeakable acts of violence? Much fuss is made when foreign maids are allegedly abused or ill treated by employers, and Indonesian and Malaysian authorities are quick to jump in to render protection and justice. But what justice is rendered to my late sister? What protection is afforded to employers and their charges against the wrath of psychotic, deranged or violent foreign maids? I have been told that the chances of apprehending the prime suspect-the Indonesian maid is extremely slim, because of the ease with which she is able to slip out of the country undetected. What is even more fearful is that she could slip back into the country still undetected to take employment in another unsuspecting household, under another name. Such is possible because of the serious lack of mechanisms of proper identification of foreign maids. There is not even a thumbprint, and sometimes not even a signature nor even a surname for proper identification. Are background checks conducted to ensure the foreign maids we bring in have no criminal records or mental history? What procedures are in place to ensure there is no recurrence of this tragedy? The answer is- there are none. I cannot bring my sister back to life, and nothing will alleviate the pain, grief and shock of losing a beloved sister in such cruel circumstances. But I write this even as I grieve, in the hope that no one would have to go through what my family members and I are going through. I know there are many households in Malaysia where foreign maids are left to take charge of vulnerable and defenseless persons – the elderly and incapacitated as well as young children.There is a critical and urgent need to address all the weaknesses and deficiencies in our existing system relating to the employment of foreign maids. Procedures and mechanisms of proper identification, stringent vetting of backgrounds, a tracking mechanism to ensure blacklisted foreign maids are denied entry will ensure a much needed measure of protection to employers and their charges. This is especially crucial in the case of foreign maids, because unlike other categories of foreign workers, they are brought to live into our homes and therein lies our vulnerability. My sister would not have suffered such an unspeakable fate had there been such procedures in place .So who should bear responsibility for her cruel death? The 'prime suspect' who wielded the death blows or the authorities for their lackadaisical attitude in perpetuating a 'system' that gives scant if any protection to employers by allowing such 'persons' to take employment in our households? It is too late to save my sister, but not for other vulnerable households. I implore all Malaysians to join me in appealing to the relevant authorities, particularly Immigration, and the Home Ministry to take urgent action to protect our households. Let us not delay any further for inaction or apathy on our parts may cost the loss of another beloved life or lives. In conclusion let me ask a chilling question? How sure are you that the new foreign maid you are bringing into your home is not the abovementioned 'prime suspect' or someone like her? Sleep on it-that is, if you can. Rahmah Sahamid __________________________________________________ This is not just a letter to the editor but an urgent appeal to the Ministry of Home Affairs and all parliamentarians to look into this matter. Puan Rahmah's letter is self-explanatory -- while Malaysians are also guilty of abusing foreign maids, we must monitor maids that are abusive and in extreme cases, murderous. Please join me in this forum to offer condolences and to send this urgent message to the relevant authorities, concerning a matter of national interest. This is an urgent matter to us as we leave home daily selling our labour to the State. Alfatihah to Allahyarrhamah Puan Habnah. My deepest condolences to Puan Rahmah Sahamid and her family. My appeal to the Home MInister -- act now! (Puan Rahmah Sahamid has deeply impacted me in my love for the English Language and a major influence in my life as an educator. She is amongst the best English teachers I have been blessed with, and had touched the lives of thousands others. ) Comments (31)  ... written by temenggong, May 05, 2008 10:41:06 My condolences. Syed Hamid Albar, look into this. Step on it man! You too have maids. report abuse disagree 2 agree 55 ... written by Mustapha Kamal, May 05, 2008 10:46:53 Firstly, how sure are you that it was the maid ? Hadn't anyone in the family noticed any kind of behaviour on her part which would have made you suspicious of her mental state ? Thirdly, why only your sister ? What about valuables ? As for foreigners slipping in and out of the country, whose fault is it ? Has the BN Govt ever been able to guarantee the safety of its' citizens, especially when citizenship has been compromised by what is happening in Sabah, for example ? Blue ICs given to all and sundry ! I am truly sorry about the lady who was so brutally murdered, and I wish to convey my condolences to her family. As for the perpetrator being apprehended, I for one have no hope at all. report abuse disagree 6 agree 28 ... written by red1, May 05, 2008 10:50:13 From Allah we come to Allah we return. May she be blessed and included among His favoured servants. May her love ones here have sabar. May the authorities have heart and alot the maid business to responsible NGOs instead of irresponsible business people. http://padi-malaysia.blogspot.com/ report abuse disagree 1 agree 18 ... written by MsiaCTzen, May 05, 2008 10:52:16 Puan Rahmah Sahamid. My deepest Condolences. As i read this letter which you have written, my heart truly cry for you and your family. We the ra'ayat deserve better treatment from the government. I am sorry for you. You have my votes and support on whatever decision you are taking . report abuse disagree 0 agree 36 ... written by Mark C, May 05, 2008 11:17:12 First things first, I'd like to offer my deepest sympathy for the family of the deceased. I have been doing tons of FOMEMA medical checkups and i can vouch that the medical tests done is inadequate. Many of those so called legal foreign workers, will disappear if they fail their medical checkups. There is also not Psych evaluations done. The authorities are unable to clamp down and trace them and deport them back to their country of origin. The system sucks. Period. The agency tasks to provide medical evaluation is solely started for profit, and many appropriate tests are not done per se. typical malaysian boleh mentality. report abuse disagree 0 agree 42 ... written by keris_mudin, May 05, 2008 11:22:40 This is terrible and very sad. The Home Ministry protects us from Foreign Professional Spouses by preventing them from getting permanent residence or work permits whilst letting illegals and these psychotics in and out of the country with great ease. I bet that same help would show up under a different name and papers in another part of town sooner or later - may be a shaved head. report abuse disagree 0 agree 10 ... written by SUV, May 05, 2008 12:44:37 very very tragic,and my deepset condolences to puan rahmah... imo,let the police,jabatan forensik collect as mush evidence as possible.. report abuse disagree 0 agree 1 ... written by DezMalaysia, May 05, 2008 12:47:30 One unfortunate case is considered as a tragedy, and when there's too many of such cases are statistics. When they cant solve such problems, they just have the practice of revealing statistics instead of going through the roots of the problems. That's their way of managing the country, comparing petrol prices, crime rates, internet, inflations, and whatever problems you can find it in their mismanagements; all with statistics ! Hari-hari tipu rakyat dengan statistik ! Suatu hari nanti kalau kamu dilanda kecelakaan, baru engko rang nak bikin tu bikin ni ! Semua cuma nak tampal muka engkorang yang koyak ! report abuse disagree 0 agree 6 ... written by RitchieLow, May 05, 2008 13:21:24 My condolences to Rahmah Sahamid. Puan Rahmah Sahamid had touched the lives of thousands others as Dr. Azly says and for that alone, she is to be revered and respected. Bad state of affairs with our PDRM is that they don't act unless directed, either by a report or by higher ups. Urgency for them is only via the latter, sad to say. All we see on that 999 TV programme is of the PDRM chasing (literally) after prostitutes mainly because they don't fight back. How pathetic is that. Personally, I've heard reports from friends that their police reports on crimes about and around them go unattended to. It's just report, file and forget. I read a report of 2006 that out of 1.4 million reports files, only 200,000 are acted upon. I've said often times that I can walk the streets of Singapore, China, Canada safely at odd hours but not here in my own country. Where are the 100,000 new police personnel ? Can I enlist ? report abuse disagree 0 agree 9 ... written by Malaysiaputra, May 05, 2008 13:36:41 We have to vet our maids carefully. Years ago when my children were small, we had maids and we changed quite a few and it was not only costly but also very disruptive and annonying but because we needed a helper we had to go through with it. Many of the maids were ideal for the first one month before their idiosyncracies started showing. We sent back a few. One came out of the bath room half naked, covering her breast with her hands, another a teenager will always bathe and put on makeup when she know that I will be coming home after work. Another was very fierce and work reluctantly, wanting to finish her soap opera show before she will do her work in the evening. Another tried to kidnap my youngest son , when at the shopping complex, she tried to veer away from the family trying to mix with the passing crowd. The last one, we found out wrote to her parents in Indonesia to ask for some things to make the children obedient to her. We sent all of them back and asked for replacement. report abuse disagree 0 agree 3 ... written by panca, May 05, 2008 13:47:13 With Our Deepest Condolences and Heartfelt Sympathies. OMPH. report abuse disagree 0 agree 2 ... written by joeawk, May 05, 2008 14:13:21 I feel very sorry for her. I have heard enough from friends about their indonesian maid bullying their aged parents. From newspaper reports, it is fair to say that agents on both sides are unscrupulous.They care only about making money and take no responsibility of the maids. Equaly unscruplous are the ministry people who I suspects are corrupt. report abuse disagree 0 agree 5 ... written by ibabonma, May 05, 2008 14:39:08 I am sure after this the police will go after Puan Rahmah Sahamid, as usual. Police is Police is Police! report abuse disagree 0 agree 3 ... written by mountainking, May 05, 2008 14:42:23 my deepest condolences to her and family. report abuse disagree 0 agree 3 ... written by SocratesI, May 05, 2008 14:57:33 Puan Rahmah Sahamid, My deepest condolences to you on your loss of your sister. Although the police says the prime suspect is the maid, sometimes it is the maid's acquaintances who she lets in the house who do mischief such as this. Of course the maid is still an accessory to murder, but many times the maids because of their loneliness away from home and family, get too close to Indonesian, Bangladeshi, and other foreign labourers here in Malaysia and when the maid lets them in the house for some intimate time, that is when these fellows show their true colour. Head injuries can be inflicted by blunt instruments but rupturing internal organs take a lot of force, and unless the maid is very strong and well built, it is unlikely a woman could do a thing like that. Coming back to the theme of appealing to the Home Ministry, Immigration for a solution, these people who earn fat commissions from agency fees, and medical exam fees etc. won't lift a finger to help besides giving some lip service. I have stopped using maids for some time and have local maids dropping by once a week to clean. Maybe we should all make do with the local maids and send all these foreign maids back ... That, I feel is the best solution, rather than depending on this dictatorial feudal Govt. do anything intelligent or effective about this problem !! report abuse disagree 0 agree 11 ... written by Saint, May 05, 2008 16:47:31 Puan Rahmah Sahamid, our deepest condolences, to your family and you. I cannot imagine that a person recruited through a registered agency does not have photographs, addresses, immigration records, medical records to be traced back and apprehended. What kind of a system are we in? And what kind of police does this country have? Where are their crime solving skills? Too many cases being not solved. The IGP must resign and let some one more capable to take over. report abuse disagree 0 agree 4 ... written by bodohland_citizen, May 05, 2008 17:22:53 WELCOME TO MALAYSIA - THE BOLEHLAND. report abuse disagree 0 agree 1 ... written by Agahdemo, May 05, 2008 18:20:25 My heart sank with great sorrow having read this letter.................No words can describe the pain that one would suffer having lost a loved one..... My deepest condolences and may God strengthen you and help you through this difficult times....... report abuse disagree 0 agree 1 ... written by zam3886, May 05, 2008 19:19:53 It is really disturbing to see good people go in this way, but I am very sure Puan Habnah is in a much better world now. Let's hope that the murderer will be apprehended soon before he/she claims the next victim. report abuse disagree 0 agree 0 ... written by roy, May 05, 2008 21:45:11 We can't politicise everything in life.... No matter who rules, the enforcement should be there. The question is; who is supposed to look into crime? Are they doing anything at all? Or are they "respected and feared" by criminals... or, can they be bought? report abuse disagree 0 agree 0 ... written by Sabahfan, May 05, 2008 21:48:24 INVESTIGATE THOROUGHLY police good in giving traffic tickets only report abuse disagree 0 agree 3 ... written by A MI, May 05, 2008 22:33:46 INVESTIGATE THOROUGHLY I agree. In fact crime rate has gone up many in housing areas where there is a police station nearby. The police do very little in the way of policing to make Malaysia a safe place for the citizens. The lackadasical attitude of the policemen in general leads me to assume that the police know who the robbers/burglars/perpetrators are and that they share the loot with them. If they are not issuing traffic summonses, the police are busy protecting powerful politicians. report abuse disagree 0 agree 2 ... written by Experienced, May 06, 2008 00:23:29  Another example of Projek M. Take the man responsible for Projek M along and find the maid concerned. Or put him togehter with the detained Indons. We cannot find her because he let them in easily. There was no regulating them. Is regulating them so difficult? The police in any area can register them, tell them their geographical area for movement and this shown on their identity cards ny area number. If cannot administer country,admit it. report abuse disagree 0 agree 3 ... written by Experienced, May 06, 2008 00:24:56 Corrections: 'together' and 'by'. report abuse disagree 0 agree 1 ... written by little dragon, May 06, 2008 00:33:45 dear dr. azly, i share in ur sadness for d late Pn. Habnah. it is indeed shocking whenever v hear of such brutality in human beings. i cannot begin to imagine d sense of loss now felt by Pn. Rahmah. this incident is no less part of d increasing crime n lawlessness in our country. one wonders why after 50 yrs dat our government has allowed d situation to deteriorate to this state. u r correct in demanding our lawmakers, d very ppl v hv voted for, take up this issue to ensure d police do d job for which they hv been paid to perform. they must ensure there is closure for Pn. Rahmah. report abuse disagree 0 agree 2 ... written by fairnessforall, May 06, 2008 00:37:26 My deepest condolence to Puan Rahman, may your sisters soul rest in peace. report abuse disagree 0 agree 1 ... written by SocratesI, May 06, 2008 12:26:19 Police are not only good at giving traffic tickets, or summonses, but they are really experts in the harrassment of oustanding citizens, and TOWERING MALAYSIANS such as Raja Petra Kamaruddin !! What ?? Risk their cowardly lives to apprehend criminals ??!! Heaven forbid ... that is not their job !! Police = Bloody PARASITES report abuse disagree 0 agree 5 ... written by Leon, May 06, 2008 15:06:25 My prayers goes to Puan Habnah. report abuse disagree 0 agree 1 ... written by Mag M, May 06, 2008 15:12:05 My condolences for what has happened but I know no words can lessen the pain. Many years ago, my sister had a maid, a psychotic maid. My sister treated her well and thought of her as a friend also. One morning she tried to stab my sister in her sleep. My sister awoken and fought her off with the help of her husband. Lucky thing she didn't die. She was left with scarred wounds on her foreheads and hands from the knife cuts. She was traumatised for a long time. To make things worse, the maid cooked up some stories and the authorities let her go within 3 months or less. Where was the justice to employers? Not all employers ill treat their maids but there is no protection for employers at all. report abuse disagree 0 agree 5 ... written by sambal muncha, May 10, 2008 21:29:14 This a heart wrenching news of betrayal and brutality. My heart goes out to the family, I will devote my prayers tonight for your peace and well-being, Rahmah. The police are ill-equipped to solve crimes that involve foreign maids. They provide lip service and take long reports, but don't give us the confidence of that they are able to take further action when the prime suspect is the maid. Members of my family have experienced theft of almost ALL of their valuables in one scoop with the maid being the prime suspect. Policy makers, please take an intelligent look at what's required to protect employers of all foreign help. Victims are not statistics, they are REAL people, and most of all, citizens. Inna-Lillahi... Al-Fatiha.. I am so sorry. report abuse disagree 0 agree 2 Write comment This content has been locked. You can no longer post any comment. You must be logged in to a comment. Please register if you do not have an account yet. |
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