Employers Who Already Paid Fees Get To Employ Indonesian Maids

PUTRAJAYA, July 6 (Bernama) -- Indonesia has given the assurance that maid agencies which have already received payments from Malaysian employers will be allowed to bring in maids to work with the employers concerned.The assurance was given by Indonesian labour and transmigration minister Dr Erman Suparno during a meeting with Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam, at the Human Resources Ministry, here Monday.In a statement, Dr Subramaniam said both sides had also agreed to set up a coordinating body to handle all administrative issues pertaining to the employment of Indonesian maids."We also agreed that the maids will be given a day off a week but it will be up to the employers and the maids to determine the day. If the off day is not given, the employers should compensate the maids," he said.The provision for the off day would be incorporated in the amendment to the Employment Act 1955 which would be tabled in parliament in October, Dr Subramaniam said.Two weeks ago Jakarta announced that it would no longer send maids to Malaysia following reports of abuse by Malaysian employers.On maids running away from their employers, Dr Subramaniam said he had requested the Indonesian authorities to ensure that there would be no repeat of such incidents."Last year alone, about 8,000 Indonesian maids ran away from their employers," he said.To protect the interest of employers, he said, Malaysia requested that the insurance coverage for Indonesian maids be expanded to cover incidents of maids running away from their employers.Dr Subramaniam also conveyed a request that the Indonesian government carry out a review on the fee structure which he said were too high and confusing."We suggested that the rate be standardised and Indonesia has agreed to look into it," he said.Dr Subramaniam said he had also informed his Indonesian counterpart that Malaysia was taking steps to safeguard the welfare of Indonesian maids, including requiring employers to open bank accounts for their maids so that the ministry could monitor the payments of salary."Each maid is also covered under the Workmen's Compensation Act and a standard contract signed by employers and workers, stipulating the terms of employment and so on," he said.Dr Subramaniam described the meeting as cordial and open and that "we agreed to meet more often."Meanwhile, Erman, when met by reporters after the meeting, said the two countries would review the memorandum of understanding on labour which was signed in May, 2006."We need to review it because both countries had since passed several legislations which are not parallel to it. On the Indonesian side we have a new human trafficking law which came into force in 2007," he said.He said the review would be discussed at the Malaysia-Indonesia joint committee meeting on July 15.Erman said the meeting today also centred on the commitment of both countries to put in place measures to protect the interest of Indonesian workers in Malaysia."They must be treated rightly... their rights as workers should be protected. They need to be given a day off every week while the health and security provision of these workers must also be adequate," he said.Indonesia, he said, was very concerned about the abuse of Indonesian maids in the hands of their Malaysian employers.He also said that the Indonesian government also wanted to stem the influx of illegal Indonesian labour into Malaysia and ensure legal workers were employed by legitimate Malaysian firms."We have also proposed that a joint committee be specifically set-up to see to the protection and treatment of Indonesia workers here. This committee would have representatives of both sides including the police of the two countries," said Erman.He said the joint committee meeting would thrash out all the issues and "hopefully a new system would put an end to all the problems we currently have."