'Oh poor Nirmala, suffers in people's land, tears of sorrow, shed by parents ...'

This is a song that depicts the suffering of 20-year-old Indonesian domestic helper Nirmala Bonet whose plight made headlines last year. She was allegedly beaten, scalded with hot water and burnt with an iron by her employer. The case is currently being heard at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court.

The song is among 15 tracks in an album called 'Silenced Voices' which will be launched during a fund raising dinner by labour organisation Tenaganita on March 19.

The songs, some of which were penned and even rendered by migrant workers, are in six languages - Bahasa Malaysia, English, Tamil, Tagalog, Bahasa Indonesia and Bengali. Tenaganita staff and professional musicians have also contributed.

At a press conference in Kuala Lumpur, Tenaganita chairperson Dr Irene Fernandez said they hope to raise RM100,000 from the dinner, which will be held at the Sunway Pyramid Tower Hotel.

The CD will be priced at RM30 and purchasers will also receive a VCD which contains three poems written by the migrants. Whereas the dinner tickets will cost RM100 each.

The money will be used to continue the organisation's programmes to support and protect the rights of marginalised people such as women pesticide sprayers, single mothers, domestic workers, trafficked women and children from prostitution or bonded labour.

"Funding agencies and donors no longer see the need to provide money for programmes by various organisations. However, Tenaganita hopes to create other windows of opportunity for Malaysians to participate in building a more just and transparent society," said Fernandez.

Rights-based approach

She said there is a 'crying need' for Malaysians to respond with a rights-based approach in order to pave the way for a more just society.

A rights-based approach, she added, will help curb corruption and lead to good governance that will ensure greater security for the people.

"Most of all, it ensures that the dignity of people especially that of the poor and workers are respected. What gives dignity if not rights?" she said.

On Tenaganita's future plans, Fernandez said it includes preparing programmes for domestic workers to have shelters, for women, particularly pesticides sprayers to go through medical screening, to setup survivors groups and make companies shoulder social responsibilities towards migrant workers.

As for the problems concerning illegal immigrants, she said: "If the government had listened and got the illegal workers to re-register in this country, we could have avoided all this problems."

She said the authorities have to recognise that these workers live from hand to mouth and it is expensive to send them back and have them return to Malaysia once they receive their documents.

"In the end, who is making money?" she asked, adding that this is why transparency is needed or human trafficking will continue to flourish.

Note: Table tickets for the dinner are running out fast and those interested can contact Tenaganita at 019-245 6933 / 03-2691 3691 / 03-2697 3671 for details.