MALAYSIA GET MAIDS FROM PAPUA NEW GUINEA, BURMA AND TIMOR LESTE

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Association of Foreign Maid Agencies (PAPA) has urged the Government to consider recruiting maids from Papua New Guinea, Myanmar and Timor Leste.
Its president Alwi Bavutty said this would ease the dependence on maids from Indonesia, Cambodia and the Philippines.

• “We are submitting this proposal to the Human Resources Ministry due to high demand for maids,” he told Bernama on Monday.
• He was commenting on Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam’s statement that Malaysia and Indonesia were currently in talks to find a “middle path” in resolving the outstanding Indonesian maids salary issue after their previous discussions ended in a deadlock.
• Alwi said made agencies were allowed to recruit maids form Cambodia and the Philippines following the freeze on maid intake by the Indonesian government since the middle of last year.
• Alwi said however, Muslims were barred from employing non-Muslim maids from the two countries.
• Supporting the Government’s stand that maid salaries should be based on market forces as well as negotiations between employers and employees, he said it should be a win-win situation for both parties.
• “Maids are getting at least RM500 a month. If their work is excellent, employers should raise their pay. Their qualifications should also be taken into consideration,” he added.
• Meanwhile, Bocehe Dewe Association, an association made up of 32,000 Indonesian workers, supported a condition imposed by the ministry that all new maids and their respective employers must attend a seminar meant to educate them on their rights and responsibilities.
• Its chairman Ambar Setiowibowo said Malaysia and Indonesia should iron out perennial issues like minimum wage, maid abuse and transgression of rules and conditions by employers.
• “As we have not agreed on minimum wage, there should be an understanding between employers and maids on a reasonable wage and maids, who performed well, should be rewarded with an increment,” he added.

Source: Bernama