Migrant workers’ coalition expresses ‘sorrow and anger’ over suspected murder of Indonesian domestic worker
Hong Kong Free Press
A coalition of migrant worker associations and unions in Hong Kong has expressed its “sorrow and anger” at the suspected murder of an Indonesian domestic worker in the city.
In an emailed statement on Thursday, the Asian Migrants’ Coordinating Body (AMBC) said it expressed its “deepest sorrow and anger over the tragic death of a 25-year-old Indonesian domestic worker in Pok Fu Lam.”
A spokesperson for the AMCB added: “She was a domestic worker. She came here to work. She did not deserve this death. Hong Kong and Indonesian governments must investigate this case and bring those accountable to justice.”
A married couple was arrested on Tuesday in connection with the death of a 25-year-old woman whose body was found at Waterfall Bay Park on Monday morning. The man, a Briton with a Hong Kong identity card according to local media reports, was on Thursday charged with one count of murder. His wife, a Hongkonger, was arrested on suspicion of assisting a criminal.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Superintendent Sin Kwok-ming confirmed that the victim and the male suspect had known each other, but further investigation was needed to prove their relationship, the course of events, and the intent.
Local media citing sources reported that the deceased was not employed by the couple.
The AMBC said that the death represented a “clear case of violence against migrant working women in Hong Kong.” It pointed to official statistics released on Wednesday that showed police had handled more than 1,200 criminal cases of domestic abuse in 2023, the highest number since 2019. Globally, women are more likely than men to be victims of domestic abuse.
“We also lambasted the Indonesian government for lacking a sense of accountability for the plight of Indonesian workers abroad and for being silent and passive in this murder case,” the AMCB added.
HKFP has reached out to the Indonesian consulate in Hong Kong for comment.
The AMCB also pointed to Hong Kong’s policies on domestic workers, including one that forces workers to live in the homes of their employers. “Due to the live-in policy, foreign domestic workers are made vulnerable to maltreatment, abuse, and even foul play,” the coalition said.
“They live in isolation six days a week and rarely make social contact except with those inside the employer’s houses. Our stories are often dismissed and this makes it more difficult to report and seek help when we need it,” it continued.
There are over 300,000 migrant domestic workers – the vast majority of them women, with most coming from the Philippines and Indonesia – in Hong Kong, employed to manage households, raise children, and look after the elderly. This frees up Hong Kong women, who have historically been assigned such tasks, to enter the workforce and become economically active.
A 2019 report calculated that domestic workers contributed HK$98.9 billion to the city’s economy, making up 3.6 per cent of gross domestic product.
The Labour Department in August told HKFP that the government “recognises the contribution of foreign domestic helpers (FDHs) to our society,” adding that “Hong Kong is one of the few places in the world where FDHs can enjoy the same statutory labour protection as local workers under the Employment Ordinance and other Hong Kong laws.”
However, unlike most Hong Kong employees, domestic workers are barred from changing their job at will, have no pathway to permanent residency, and have no standard working hours. Domestic worker rights advocates have long argued that the policies governing workers leave them vulnerable to exploitation.
| 💡If you are suffering from sexual or domestic violence, regardless of your age or gender, contact the police, Harmony House (click for details) and/or the Social Welfare Department on 28948896. Dial 999 in emergencies. |
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