Sisters charged with labour exploitation of immigrants

TELUK INTAN, Nov 27 -- Two sisters pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court here today to trafficking six Indonesian women aged between 22 and 40 for the purpose of labour exploitation and also with illegally hiring workers in Tanjung Malim in the past 11 years. 

Lie Ying Har, 53, who faced two counts while younger sibling Lie Ying Ping, 50, who was slapped with five counts pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them before Judge Norita Mohd Ardani.

They were charged in Teluk Intan as there is no Sessions Court in Tanjung Malim. 

Ying Har was first charged under Section 12 of the Anti-Trafficking of Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 with trafficking a woman for labour exploitation at a house Taman Seri Indah, Tanjung Malim on Nov 2.  If convicted, she faces a maximum jail term of 15 years and a fine.

Ying Har was then charged under Section 55B (1) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 with hiring a woman without a valid pass at the same address in mid-2009 and faces a maximum jail term of 12 months or a fine of RM50,000 upon conviction. 

Ying Ping, meanwhile, was charged under Section 12 of the Anti-Trafficking of Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 with trafficking four women for forced labour exploitation at two shoplots in Jalan Rumah Rehat, Tanjung Malim on Nov 2, and if convicted, she faces a maximum jail term of 15 years and a fine.

She was also charged under Section 55B(1) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 with hiring a woman who was trafficked by her older sibling without a valid pas at a shoplot in Jalan Rumah Rehat, Tanjung Malim on Nov 7. 

Both sisters were allowed bail with one surety and case remention was set for Jan 18. 

-- BERNAMA