The body of Silam, 40, had yet to arrive at the house of mourning, Head of Magetan district`s workforce and transmigration office, Parni Hadi, said here Friday.
"Silam is reportedly an illegal worker. However, she has got Hong Kong`s residential card and worked there as a domestic helper for 18 years until her death on February 11," he said.
In view of her illegal status, the authorized parties in Indonesia could not do much to help her heirs deal with her salary, insurance, and other rights, he said.
Instead, an unidentified person had ever called Silam`s family in Magetan district, East Java, to transfer Rp120 million for financing the return of Silam`s body from Hong Kong, he said.
Parni said the Indonesian consulate general in Hong Kong handled the transportation of her body to the house of mourning so that the family did not pay anything despite Silam`s illegal status, he said.
Magetan district government had also promised to give the bereaved family a compensation, he said adding that locals who wanted to work abroad were suggested to get the chance legally.
On December 24, 2010, an Indonesian migrant worker in Saudi Arabia, identified as Saiyem, also died of a traffic accident.
The death of the 27-year-old of Siki village, Dongko subdistrict in East Java district of Trenggalek was revealed by Head of the district`s social welfare and workforce office, Coktro Nuranto.
The nature of the death of Silam and Saiyem had nothing to do with acts of violence of their employers.
But, the protection of Indonesian migrant workers has become a crucial and sensitive issue over the past years.
In November 2010, the Indonesian people and government were shocked by the torture of Sumiati binti Salan Mustafa by her Saudi Arabian employer.
Besides the case of the 24-year-old house maid, there were also four other Indonesian workers who had been badly treated in Malaysia.
Siti Hajar was victim of her employer`s brutality but Michel, her Malaysian employer, remained free after appealing to the country`s higher court for her eight-year jail punishment.
Three other Indonesian workers were shot dead by the Malaysian police in March 2010.
Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia received lots of Indonesian migrant workers, besides Malaysia and South Korea.
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Editor: AA Ariwibowo
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
