KUALA LUMPUR: All efforts to secure the release of the three Myanmar women who are on their 25th day at the Lenggeng detention camp have proved futile.

Tenaganita programme coordinator S. Florida said it had exhausted all efforts to secure the release of the women, who were now facing the possibility of deportation despite them being legal workers.

Further complicating matters, she said, were the inconsistent replies from the authorities, with the Malacca Immigration Department saying they would be deported and Putrajaya saying they were being detained pending further investigation.

Florida said it was unfair for the women to be held much longer.

The New Straits Times on July 11 highlighted the plight of Tin Tin Khing, Aye Aye Aling and Myint Myint Khang, who were detained by the Immigration Department at their hostel following a report from their employer that they had run away.
(Tenaganita had argued that by arresting them at their hostel proved that the employer had lodged a false report as the latter had claimed the women had run away).

The women had on June 11 lodged a report at the Brickfields police station claiming to have been harassed and threatened by the factory's kitchen supervisor.

They claimed to have also reported him to the company's management but instead of taking action against the supervisor, it cancelled their work permits and reported to the Immigration Department that they had run away.