Govt will not protect those involved with abusing domestic workers: Zahid (Updated)

KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today assured his Indonesian counterparts that there will be no cover-ups in investigations into the recent death of an Indonesian maid here.
"We will not protect anyone involved in the abuse of Indonesian domestic worker in the country. This does not only apply to maids, but all foreign workers here," he said.
He said this was among the messages to be relayed to the Indonesian government at a meeting between the Malaysian ambassador and Indonesian manpower ministry today, in light of the death of the Indonesian maid, Adelina Lisao.
"I have contacted our ambassador to Indonesia, Datuk Seri Zahrain Mohamed Hashim. I have stressed to him the importance of this message," he told a press conference after attending the soft launch of the International Exhibition on National Security Asia and the Defence Services Asia 2018 Exhibition and Conference at the Malaysian International Trade and Exhibition Centre.
Adelina had died while receiving treatment in a hospital in Bukit Mertajam, Penang, due to the alleged abuse of her employers.
Indonesian news portals on Saturday reported that its government was considering not allowing its nationals to be sent to Malaysia as domestic workers anymore following the incident.
Zahid said Zahrain had also been informed to assure the Indonesian government that this incident of maid abuse in Malaysia was an isolated case.
He added that Malaysia was committed to continue its cooperation with Indonesia, in fact, more so as both countries are need each other.
"They (Indonesia) need to send their manpower to other countries including Malaysia, while we need the manpower including domestic workers to work here," he said.
On a separate issue, commenting on eleven Uighur men that were arrested by Malaysian authorities after escaping immigration detention in Thailand, Zahid said the government would consider the best course of action that would satisfy all involved nations.
"We will conduct further negotiations that will touch on the issue of diplomacy and security of the concerned countries," he said.
Zahid had previously confirmed that China had officially requested Malaysia to repatriate the Uighurs currently being detained.
Ethnic Uighurs are a minority group in China that are mainly concentrated in the Xinjiang Autonomous Region.