"We have said that we will pay the compensation if the appeal court maintains the sentence."Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The government is ready to pay compensation totaling Rp4.6 billion for Darsem binti Dawud to save her from a possible death penalty in Saudi Arabia, Minister Linda Amalia Gumelar said.
The minister for women`s empowerment and child protection said at the presidential office here on Thursday the government would pay the compensation money if her appeal was turned down.
The Indonesian migrant worker has been sentenced to death for murdering her employer who tried to rape her. She is appealing the verdict.
Linda said the government was still waiting for the appeal ruling the process of which could take up to six months to finish.
"Now we are waiting for the ruling. But we have said that we will pay the compensation if the appeal court maintains the sentence," she said.
Linda said this was proof that the government cared about its citizens who work abroad.
The foreign ministry was now still collecting funds for it which had until now already reached Rp2.3 billion.
The Indonesian embassy in Saudi Arabia had already made efforts to prevent her from being sentenced to death and offered an apology to her Yemeni employer.
For the request to be met Darsem however had to pay compensations totaling Rp4.6 billion in six months` time.
(T.D013/H-YH/HAJM/A014)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
