Published: Tuesday February 7, 2012 MYT 1:35:00 PM

121 M’sian agencies involved in placement of Indonesian maids

JAKARTA: A total of 121 Malaysian employment agencies are now getting ready to collaborate with their Indonesian counterparts in the placement of maids from the republic to Malaysia starting early next month.

Reyna Usman, the director-general of Indonesia's labour placement authority said the Malaysian agencies comprised 42 in Selangor, 23 in Kuala Lumpur, 13 in Johor, 11 each in Perak and Penang, seven in Malacca, five each in Negri Sembilan and Pahang, two in Kedah, and one each in Kelantan and Terengganu.

She said good cooperation between the Malaysian and Indonesian agencies was among the crucial undertaking agreed upon by both governments in the Joint Task Force set up to handle the placement and protection of maids and their employers.

"To ensure the placement of maids runs smoothly, both governments have agreed to closely monitor both the Malaysian and Indonesian agencies," she said.

Indonesian manpower and transmigration minister Muhaimin Iskandar said recently that 137 Indonesian agencies had been preparing to carry out the sending of maids to Malaysia.

Reyna said strict monitoring and regular assessment on the agencies in both countries would be carried out in an optimum way and those found to have violated the regulations would face actions, including having their permit terminated.

Indonesia officially lifted the moratorium on maids to Malaysia on Dec 1 last year but would only send them from next month.

Reyna said three months would be needed before maids could be sent to Malaysia as the prospective domestic helpers would need to undergo training of up to 200 hours, and time was also needed to prepare their documentation. - Bernama

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