National

Indonesian Department of Foreign Affairs Disappointed with Release of Worker Torture Suspect
Sunday, 25 July, 2004 | 18:04 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is disappointed over the decision of the Kuala Lumpur High Court in Malaysia to release Yim Pek Ha, the main suspect in the torture of Indonesian worker Nirmala Bonat, from the jail and place her under house custody during the trial process.

“We worked hard to put the suspect in the jail during the trial process,” said Indonesian Department of Foreign Affairs’ spokesman, Marty Natalegawa, in Jakarta on Friday (23/07).

Kuala Lumpur High Court judge, Datuk Abdul Kadir Musa, granted the request made by Mrs. Yim’s lawyer, K. Balaguru, to release the defendant from jail and place her under house custody.

After paying 85,000 Malaysian ringgit to bail the defendant out, Yim Pek Ha was released under three conditions: she is banned from leaving Kuala Lumpur, she has to submit her passport by July 20 at the latest and is banned from hiring foreign workers in her house.

Judge Datuk Abdul Kadir placed Yim Pek Ha under house custody because she has high blood pressure and a baby in her care.

“The house custody does not mean that she has been released from the legal process,” Natalegawa stated.

The trial case regarding the torture of Nirmala Bonat will be held on July 26, 27 and 28. (Faisal - Tempo News Room)