DanuGemilang

KUALA LUMPUR: The Association of Foreign Maid Agencies (Papa) will negotiate with its counterpart in Indonesia for a 10% to 15% reduction in agency fees charged for maids sent to Malaysia.

Its president Alwi Bavutty said Papa would discuss the matter with the Association of Maids in Indonesia after the signing of a new memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the two countries for the supply of maids. “The freeze on Indonesian maids is likely to be lifted,” he told The Star yesterday.

Alwi said Papa intended to ask for a 10% to 15% reduction in the RM5,000 to RM6,000 fee that employers currently had to pay via local maid agencies here to their Indonesian counterparts.

“Currently, we cannot reduce this sum because; from the RM7,000 to RM8,000 collected from employers, only RM1,000 to RM2,000 actually goes to us for agency fees, medical check-up and government levy,” he said.

Agency fees had increased over the years from more than RM2,000 previously to the current level, he said in response to complaints from employers that the current fees were too steep.

He said that under the new MoU, the Malaysian Government had agreed that each Indonesian maid be paid at least RM550 monthly, given a day off, had a bank account opened in her name and hold on to her own passport.

Indonesia decided to freeze the supply of maids to Malaysia last June following numerous complaints of maid abuse.

Alwi said the association also hoped to negotiate for a reduction in agency fees for maids from other countries.

He said Papa would propose in a meeting with the Home Ministry on Friday to have maids from Laos, Bangladesh and Timor Leste so Malaysia did not have to face severe shortage each time a source country decided to freeze supply.

Later, at the inaugural dinner to commemorate the annual general meeting, Labour Department director-general Datuk Ismail Abdul Rahim said Papa members must play a bigger role in light of the many issues affecting domestic maids.

“If the association can do that, it will be much easier for the Government to ensure the protection and welfare of the maids here to help us relieve the burden of working Malaysian women,” he said in a speech at a hotel here yesterday.

Source : The Star

KUALA LUMPUR, 5 Sept (Bernama) — Cadangan gaji minimum RM800 untuk pembantu rumah warga asing adalah terlalu tinggi dan tidak mampu dibayar oleh ramai majikan, kata Menteri Pembangunan Wanita, Keluarga dan Masyarakat Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil.

Beliau berkata jika gaji minimum ini dikuatkuasakan, implikasinya ramai wanita tempatan yang berkeluarga akan menarik diri daripada pasaran pekerjaan untuk menguruskan rumah tangga masing-masing.

“Penglibatan wanita dalam pasaran pekerjaan akan terus menurun daripada tahap 45.7 peratus pada masa ini dan ini akan menyebabkan penurunan kadar pertumbuhan ekonomi negara kerana tenaga wanita adalah antara aset pembangunan negara,” katanya dalam satu kenyataan di sini , Jumaat.

Shahrizat mengulas laporan akhbar Indonesia semalam bahawa negara itu akan meminta gaji minimum sebanyak RM800 untuk pembantu rumah warganya pada mesyuarat keempat Jawatankuasa Kerja bagi Pengambilan dan Penempatan Pembantu Rumah Indonesia yang diadakan di Jakarta, Indonesia pada Jumaat.

Beliau berkata isu gaji minimum pembantu rumah warga asing perlu dikaji dengan teliti sebelum apa-apa keputusan dibuat oleh Kementerian Sumber Manusia kerana Akta Kerja 1955 tidak menetapkan gaji minimum untuk mana-mana sektor pekerjaan di negara ini.

“Sebagai sebuah negara yang mengamalkan konsep ekonomi terbuka, gaji bagi sesuatu sektor ditentukan oleh daya pasaran sedia ada,” katanya.

Beliau berkata Malaysia tidak boleh mengadakan gaji minimum untuk sesuatu sektor pekerjaan sahaja seperti sektor pembantu rumah kerana ia akan menimbulkan implikasi kepada sektor pekerjaan yang lain.

Mengenai persetujuan Malaysia dan Indonesia untuk membenarkan pembantu rumah Indonesia diberi cuti sehari dalam seminggu yang dicapai pada mesyuarat jawatankuasa itu pada 20 Ogos lepas, Shahrizat berkata ia merupakan satu yang munasabah dan mekanismanya perlu diperhalusi.

Penguatkuasaan cuti tersebut dilaporkan akan hanya berkuatkuasa setelah Akta Kerja 1955 dipinda.

– BERNAMA

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.

Source : The Star

PUTRAJAYA: Indonesia has given the assurance that maid agencies which have already received payments from Malaysian employers will be allowed to bring in maids to work with the employers concerned.

The assurance was given by Indonesian labour and transmigration minister Dr Erman Suparno during a meeting with Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam, at the Human Resources Ministry, here on Monday.

In a statement, Dr Subramaniam said both sides had also agreed to set up a coordinating body to handle all administrative issues pertaining to the employment of Indonesian maids.

“We also agreed that the maids will be given a day off a week but it will be up to the employers and the maids to determine the day. If the off day is not given, the employers should compensate the maids,” he said.

The provision for the off day would be incorporated in the amendment to the Employment Act 1955 which would be tabled in parliament in October, Dr Subramaniam said.

Two weeks ago Jakarta announced that it would no longer send maids to Malaysia following reports of abuse by Malaysian employers.

On maids running away from their employers, Dr Subramaniam said he had requested the Indonesian authorities to ensure that there was no repeat of such incidents.

“Last year alone, about 8,000 Indonesian maids ran away from their employers,” he said.

To protect the interest of employers, he said, Malaysia requested that the insurance coverage for Indonesian maids be expanded to cover incidents of maids running away from their employers.

Dr Subramaniam also conveyed a request that the Indonesian government carry out a review of the fee structure which he said was too high and confusing.

“We suggested that the rate be standardised and Indonesia has agreed to look into it,” he said.

Dr Subramaniam said he had also informed his Indonesian counterpart that Malaysia was taking steps to safeguard the welfare of Indonesian maids, including requiring employers to open bank accounts for their maids so that the ministry could monitor the payments of salary.

“Each maid is also covered under the Workmen’s Compensation Act and a standard contract signed by employers and workers, stipulating the terms of employment and so on,” he said.

Dr Subramaniam described the meeting as cordial and open and that “we agreed to meet more often.”

Meanwhile, Erman, when met by reporters after the meeting, said the two countries would review the memorandum of understanding on labour which was signed in May, 2006.

“We need to review it because both countries had since passed several legislations which are not in line with it. On the Indonesian side we have a new human trafficking law which came into force in 2007,” he said. – Bernama