Tuesday July 7, 2009
Maid tiff set to be resolved
KUALA LUMPUR: Indonesia will resume sending its citizens to work as maids in Malaysia next month.
Indonesian Manpower and Trans-migration Minister Erman Suparno said the resumption would, however, be subject to the settlement of specific issues.
During his meeting with his Malaysian counterpart Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam yesterday, he raised the following issues:
> Allowing maids to hold their passports instead of the employers doing so;
> Giving maids a weekly day off;
> Requiring employers to bank in monthly pay;
> Giving adequate protection to maids from abusive employers; and
> Curbing maids from being brought into Malaysia illegally.
He said discussions would start on July 15.
“We hope to reach a consensus within two weeks. We hope that the discussions will solve the problem so we can resume sending maids,” he told a press conference at the Indonesian embassy.
Erman said the Indonesians would also discuss minimum wages during the discussions.
“Being trained or untrained is irrelevant. The question is what are the qualifications required by employers for a domestic servant?
“The wages should be standard. There should not be discrimination. All nationalities should earn the same.”
Erman said the two countries would also review the memorandum of understanding on labour, which was signed in May 2006.
“We need to review it because both countries have since passed laws which are not consistent with it.
“On the Indonesian side we have a new human trafficking law which came into force in 2007,” he said.
On his meeting, Erman said he was now “happy and confident”, adding that Dr Subramaniam was responsive to suggestions to improve the situation.
News Poll
- Court ruling takes bite out of local council summonses
- Chin Peng apologises for death of innocents
- Girl and stepmum held over bid to kill first wife
- New evidence on MCA snoop squad case arrives at doorstep
- Biggest karaoke session a blast
- Teoh’s body exhumed for second autopsy today
- Victim’s dad nabs kidnapper
- Foreigner falls to her death from condominium
- Puad faces flak over ‘use Bahasa only’ remark
- Big impact in ‘small’ man’s win
- Court ruling takes bite out of local council summonses
- Johor set to be a medical hub
- Joy for 2,500 housebuyers as SPNB takes over project
- No licence to try offenders
- Indonesia seizes ammonium nitrate shipment from Malaysia
- Big impact in ‘small’ man’s win
- Malaysians must get regular dental checks
- Hackers leak e-mails, stoke climate debate
- Latest news from AP Wire
- Coal mine blast kills 42 in China, 66 trapped
RSS
