“The matter has been brought to the attention of the officer involved, with instructions that it should be settled amicably.

“This is a civil case involving a private contractual agreement, and will thus be dealt with according to the due process of law,” Wisma Putra said in a statement today.

The New York Post recently reported that the diplomat, Tamil Arasi Krishnan and her husband Danish Kumar, were accused of violating laws designed to protect victims of human trafficking by making their maid Parimaladevi “Mala” Jeganathan, work more than 15 hours a day for US$1.71 (RM 6.98) per hour – when she was paid at all.

The couple had also allegedly stopped Parimaladevi from leaving their East 43rd Street apartment in New York by putting fear into her by saying “black people would do something to her” if she did.

Tamil Arasi was listed as a consul at the Malaysian consulate by the US State Department.

The couple, who are said to be back in Malaysia, were also charged in the civil court with fraud and breach of their contract with Parimaladevi, but no criminal charges have been filed against the couple.

Parimaladevi started working for the couple in Malaysia in 2013. In March of that year, she arrived in the United States on an A-3 visa granted to diplomats’ relatives and household employees, court papers stated.

The lawsuit stated that Parimaladevi believed she was monitored by their building’s doorman and by Malaysian consulate security guards and that she was “fearful of venturing outside alone”.

In early 2014, Tamil Arasi allegedly told Parimaladevi that her visa had expired and it was too expensive to renew.

She had allegedly said if Parimaladevi did not agree to work for her for another 3¹/₂ years, she would be forced to return to Sri Lanka.