A team organized to investigate the recent case of maid abuse has not yet been able to carry out its duties because visas have not been issued by the Saudi Arabian administration, a high official says.
“Until now I haven’t received a visa and that is why the team hasn’t begun any investigation of this case,” Minister of Woman’s Empowerment Linda Amalia Sari Gumelar said, as quoted by Kompas.com news portal on Sunday.
She said unlike ministry officials, whose visas were granted by officials at the Saudi Arabia Embassy here, a visa for a minister needed to be issued directly by the official at the Saudi Arabian Foreign Affairs Ministry.
When asked whether the delay signaled the Saudi Arabian administration’s resistance to permitting the investigation team from contributing, Linda said that she didn’t want to be influenced by such prejudice.
“I’ve been informed that the officials there are still off duty due to national holidays. Thus, let us allow some time to wait,” she said.
She said even though still idle to date, part of the team comprised of technical officials from the Foreign Affairs Ministry and the Women’s Empowerment Ministry had already landed in Saudi Arabia.
A team comprising three ministers has been organized to investigate the reasons behind the abuse that caused severe injury to an Indonesian maid, Sumiati, who is now hospitalized at the King Fahd Hospital.
