Maid ban still pending

By LESTER KONG
PETALING JAYA: Indonesia has claimed that the delay in solving the maid issue is because of Malaysia’s insistence that a cost structure on wages and agency fees be agreed to beforehand.
Indonesian Embassy’s Informa-tion, Social and Cultural Affairs Minister Counsellor Widyarka Ryananta said his country’s position on the matter was that the issue be discussed during the joint working group meeting which was supposed to have been held on July 15.
To date, the meeting has not been held.
“We are of the view that all issues will be discussed at the joint working group meeting.
“We would like to clarify that the Indonesian Government has no intention of postponing the joint working group meeting with Malaysia in regards to Indonesian domestic workers,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Widyarka said that the temporary ban on the import of Indones-ian maids to Malaysia would remain until an outcome could be reached at the joint working group meeting.
The meeting of the joint working group was supposed to have been a follow-up to the meeting between Indonesian Manpower and Transmigration Minister Erman Suparno and Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam on July 6.
Human Resources Ministry sources told The Star that while the ministry was ready to hold the meeting, when it would be held was the prerogative of the Home Ministry.
“The cost structure proposed to the Indonesian Government is also under the purview of the Home Ministry especially on fees payable by the agencies there.
“Human Resources only deals with the welfare and remuneration of the maids,” sources said.