Turini found in Saudi remote village after 21 years missing

Jakarta (Indonesia Window) – A strong intention to earn fortune led Turini binti Mashari Tarsina to depart from Kedawung Village in Cirebon, West Java to Saudi Arabia on October 24, 1998.

Unfortunately, Tursini’s dream turned into unpleasant experiences the time she arrived in the country. Even Tursini was considered missing since she left for Saudi Arabia as she never sent any news about her condition for 21 years to her family in Indonesia.

Reports on Turini was submitted in mid-2013, yet incomplete data on her made it difficult for the Indonesian Embassy in Riyadh to conduct a search.

“The turning point of Turini’s search took place in March 2019. The Indonesian Embassy at that time received information from Turini’s children in Indonesia that their mother had just contacted them by telephone number of a Filipino citizen,” Indonesian Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Agus Maftuh Abegebriel said in a statement recently received here, Jakarta.

The valuable information from the Turini’s children was followed up by the Indonesian Embassy in Riyadh which then quickly contact the number. Then, it was discovered that the Filipino worked at the home of a family, who was a relative of Turini’s employer.

Finally, the Indonesian Embassy succeeded in getting contact with Turini’s employer, known as Feihan Mamduh Alotaibi, who is a son-in-law of her old employer, Aun Niyaf Aun Alotaibi who had died ten years ago.

Ambassador Agus Maftuh explained that while working for 21 years, Turini had never received salary, and had no access to call her families in Indonesia, making the Indonesian Embassy had to negotiate with her employer.

With the help of the Dawadmi Police, on 2 April 2019 the Indonesian Embassy in Riyadh team was able to meet Turini and negotiate with Feihan Mamduh Al-Otaibi at his home in a remote village in Saudi Arabia, about 387 kilometers from Riyadh.

Agus Maftuh added that the negotiation process with the employer was quite tough.

“But with the Islamic-style approach, taqdimul adab (prioritizing an anthropological social approach), thank God the employer was melted and willing to pay Turini salary  of 150,000 Riyals (equivalent to 550 million rupiah).

During her missing, Turini was also considered committed overstay and subjected to fines.

The fine was finally imposed on the kafil or employer and had to pay Turini’s return ticket to Indonesia on Sunday, July 21, 2019. Her home return was accompanied by a Saudi Indonesian Embassy staff member, Muhammad al-Qarni, who was also involved in rescuing Turini.

Ambassador Agus Maftuh stressed that the Indonesian Embassy in Riyadh would always present among Indonesian citizens in Saudi Arabia.

“The Indonesian Embassy serve all Indonesian citizens in Saudi Arabia with hearts,” he said.

Earlier, the Indonesian Embassy managed to save Eti binti Tayib from a death sentence by paying ransom Rp15 billion.

Reporting by Indonesia Window