Adelina, who is from Indonesia, succumbed to multiple organ failure following the alleged abuse at a house in Bukit Mertajam, Penang in 2018

In an interview with FMT, Hermono said the case had gained the attention of Indonesia’s government and public, who were aghast at what happened to the 26-year-old domestic worker.

“I hope that (the Court of Appeal’s decision) will be reversed in the Federal Court, and that justice would be served for the late Adelina,” he said.

A 63-year-old woman, MA Ambika, had been accused of murder in causing Adelina’s death on Feb 10, 2018. She was acquitted by the Penang High Court and the acquittal affirmed by the Court of Appeal. The case is now before the Federal Court, where the hearing will continue in April.

Hermono said maids were the most vulnerable among migrant workers. There were numerous cases of maids being exploited by their employers in Malaysia, he said, which naturally incensed the people of Indonesia, apart from complaints of unpaid wages, long hours, the lack of days off, the confiscation of identification documents and even of workers being barred from performing their religious obligations.

“I hope the Malaysian government understands the sensitivities of these kinds of issues among the Indonesian public. It may create negative perceptions among Indonesians that our workers are maltreated in this country.

“So I hope this will also be taken into consideration when handling these types of cases. The Indonesian public will be anxious to see how our people are treated in other countries.”

He said a proposed memorandum of understanding MoU) on domestic workers between Malaysia and Indonesia was crucial, due to the vulnerability of those who worked in this sector, as well as in manufacturing and plantation.