Indonesian maid fee set at RM4,511

BERNAMA

Monday, May 30th, 2011 22:17:00

BANDUNG: Protocol amendments to the Memorandum of Understanding for the employment of Indonesian maids signed by Malaysia and Indonesia here tonight, set the initial fees employers have to pay at RM4,511.

Human Resource Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam said the fees included RRM2,711 that have to be paid by the employer and RM1,800 in maid's salary that have to be advanced to the agency supplying the maids.

"Employers can deduct the RM1,800 from the maids salaries on condition the deduction is not more than 50 per cent of monthly salary (of the maid)," he told Malaysian media after the signing of the new MoU. The initial MoU was inked betwen the two countries in 2006.

Dr Subramaniam said the amendments also entailed maids being given one rest day in a week or one-and-a-half day's wage if the maid opts to give up the rest day and work instead.

He said a standard employment contract would also be effected for hiring Indonesian maids.

The minister added that among the major changes agreed in the new protocol was the setting up of a Joint Task Force (JTF) to assist the Joint Working Group involving both countries in the matter to ensure compliance to the agreed points.

As for maids salaries, he said this would be left to market forces but employers must credit the salaries into the maids bank accounts, but if the bank is located at a distance, cash payments are permitted. Indonesia requested that such wages cannot be lower than the minimum wage in Indonesia.

The maid will also be allowed to hold their passports but also can hand them over to their employers for safekeeping.

Under the new MoU, employers have to be given replacement maids or the agency's fees refunded if maids employed run away or found to be incompetent, with the time frame given as six months from the date of emplyment.

Employers can also demand a replacement or refund if the maids do not pass health requirements within three months of their employment. Dr Subramaniam also said errant maid agencies would be blacklisted.

"The Malaysian government believes that with these new protocols, Indonesian maids will be adequately protected and Indonesia-Malaysia ties will be further strengthened," he said, adding that the terms were only applicable for the hirng of Indonesian maids.

The signing of the MoU ends the freeze imposed by Indonesia on export of maids to Malaysia which was enforced in 2009, thus paving the way for the arrival of maids in two weeks.

Indonesia stopped sending maids to Malaysia from June 2009 following reports on cases of abuse by employers, and a lack of benefits like a minimum monthly salary and a day off for maids.

Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam signed on behalf of Malaysia while Indonesian Labour and Transmigration Minister Muhaimin Iskandar inked on behalf of his country.


Warm Regard, Sara Pandian