The Indonesian NGO pursuing the case of an alleged victim of rape by a minister in the cabinet of former prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has said the victim and her family had pleaded for her ordeal to be kept under wraps.
This was because they were afraid of the possible impact the scandal would have on them, and feared the reach of the Malaysian minister - currently a member of the present cabinet - even in Indonesia.
According to a purported letter by the sister of the alleged victim - who has been named in several blogs - and sent to the Indonesian and US embassies in Kuala Lumpur, she had asked for the incident to be kept under wraps because she said, “the minister has a lot of money and acquaintances in Indonesia.”
“It is feared that something will be done to the family of my sister, such as was done in the Altantuya case in Malaysia,” read the letter dated mid-2007 in reference to slain Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu.
This was because they were afraid of the possible impact the scandal would have on them, and feared the reach of the Malaysian minister - currently a member of the present cabinet - even in Indonesia.
According to a purported letter by the sister of the alleged victim - who has been named in several blogs - and sent to the Indonesian and US embassies in Kuala Lumpur, she had asked for the incident to be kept under wraps because she said, “the minister has a lot of money and acquaintances in Indonesia.”
“It is feared that something will be done to the family of my sister, such as was done in the Altantuya case in Malaysia,” read the letter dated mid-2007 in reference to slain Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu.
The remains of Shaariibuu were found in late October 2006 in a remote location in Shah Alam. Although three persons were intially charged over the incident, only two were found guilty and face death by hanging.
Abdul Razak Baginda - a close associate of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak - was released from the charge of abetment to murder.
When contacted at the time of the letter, the director of Jakarta-based Migrant Care Anis Hidayah had told Malaysiakini that they could not publicise the case as the victim and her family - though they had received counselling sessions and had been 'prepped' for the possible fallout over the scandal - had declined to come out in public and press charges against the said minister.Over the past few weeks the three-year-old issue reignited in cyberspace.
'Pak Lah received reports'
Malay Mail's editor-in-chief Ahirudin Attan also wrote about the incident in his Rocky Bru blog, saying the Prime Minister's Department then under Abdullah (below) had also received reports of the allegations.
On Monday Dec 27, 2009, migrant rights group Tenaganita called for a thorough investigation into the rape incident, which was alleged to have occurred on Feb 19, 2007.
On Monday Dec 27, 2009, migrant rights group Tenaganita called for a thorough investigation into the rape incident, which was alleged to have occurred on Feb 19, 2007.
She was said to have been sent back to Indonesia the following day.
In an August 2007 report, Anis spoke of their July 24 meeting with the alleged rape victim - who had worked for eight years as a domestic worker for the cabinet minister - and their repeated attempts to elicit information from her while at her house in Madukara, Banjarnegara in Jawa Tengah.
It was only with great reluctance that the victim admitted to Anis and two other Migrant Care activists that she had been raped by the minister.
It was only with great reluctance that the victim admitted to Anis and two other Migrant Care activists that she had been raped by the minister.
She also begged Anis not to “widely publicise” the incident “out of fear and shame for her family and the people in her village”.
According to Anis' report, the vicitm said “she is only a small person whereas (the minister) is a big person, so she is scared and asked that the rape case be closed.”
Tenaganita on Monday called on all quarters “not create any untruthful speculations before the results of final investigations”.
The group also said that it will take the case to the international community to seek justice, should the investigations fail to achieve justice.
Neither the minister in question nor PM Najib's administration have responded to the renewed cyberspace reports on the alleged incident.
According to Anis' report, the vicitm said “she is only a small person whereas (the minister) is a big person, so she is scared and asked that the rape case be closed.”
Tenaganita on Monday called on all quarters “not create any untruthful speculations before the results of final investigations”.
The group also said that it will take the case to the international community to seek justice, should the investigations fail to achieve justice.
Neither the minister in question nor PM Najib's administration have responded to the renewed cyberspace reports on the alleged incident.
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