REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The Indonesian Embassy in Singapore had sent a diplomatic note to the Singaporean Ministry of Foreign Affairs over cases of Indonesian migrant workers allegedly being put up for sale on Carousell, an online retail platform from Singapore. According to Deputy Foreign Minister A. M. Fachir, the ministry has also communicate with Singapore's Ministry of Manpower.
"They have been investigating (this case)," Fachir informed journalists at the Presidential Palace Complex in Jakarta on Monday.
The Indonesian Embassy in Singapore expressed concern that similar incidents have occurred several times in Singapore and requested a thorough investigation into such cases. In online listings placed by user @maid.recruitment on the online retail platform from Singapore, Carousell, the profiles of several domestic workers, allegedly from Indonesia, were being advertised, the Straits Times reported on Saturday (Sept. 15).
Some profiles even indicated that the workers had been "sold."
Fachir stated that not only Indonesians but the faces of workers from other nationalities were also posted. However, Indonesia is the first country to lodge a protest.
According to its Facebook post on Friday, Singapore's Ministry of Manpower said it was investigating these cases and had arranged for these listings to be taken down.
A Carousell spokesman said such listings were not allowed on the marketplace in line with its community guidelines. Though it allows agencies to advertise services, personnel listings are not allowed, it added.