Last Monday, the Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Muhaimin Iskandar and Malaysian Human Resource Minister Dr. Shubramaniam signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) regarding the protection of Indonesians Workers in Malaysia.
This MoU, which is an amendment of an MoU in 2006, would end a two-year freeze on Indonesian maids coming to work in Malaysia.
Antara reported that the MoU will provide the workers with one day off every week, passport shall be kept by the worker and workers' salary, and the creation of a Joint Task Force that would deal with issues raised by employers and their employees.Meanwhile, Malay Mail reported that the Malaysian Human Resources Ministry has assured that the MoU would enable Malaysians to pay only RM 4,511 fees to hire a maid.
However, a survey on 10 maid employment agencies in Malaysia showed that prospective employers would have to pay between RM 6,000 and RM 9,000 in fees to secure the services of a maid.
One maid employment agency said that it usually charged a RM 6,000 fee to start the application process. The prospective employer would then need to pay at least another RM 3,000 for other variables to bring the maid into the country.
Another agency explained that the RM 6,000 initial fee was fixed by its Indonesian counterpart, and the additional RM 3,000 for the levy, medical examinations and visa processing and “a small profit for our agency".
Currently, most Indonesian maids received an average monthly salary of RM 400. Indonesia had proposed the salary be raised to RM 800 a month but the Malaysian government had not agreed to it, insisting it be governed by market forces.
The joint task force that will be set up, among others, will look at salary issues based on demand and supply principles.
The Malaysian Association of Foreign Maid Agencies questioned the stipulatedfee of getting a maid from Indonesian agents, saying that the cost was unrealistic, especially to agents in Indonesia, as it had yet to be seen whether Indonesian agents are willing to send maids if they do not agree with the fee stated in the MoU.
18 comments:
Yes, I believe helpers should also be given fair salaries and other benefits. It is not easy to be a house helper. You risk your security sometimes in hands of your abusive "domestic bosses".
Malaysia, always like that :e
These ladies receive the equivalent of € 3 per day ( € 90 each month)! And they carry the burden of all risks ( by what I read on 'incidents' over the last few years, cruelty, violence and sexual harassment are among them.
It's sheer exploitation. If their passports would stay in the hands of the employers, it shoould have been called slavery.
I have brother who work in overseas. so I also hope indonesia can keep employment in overseas :D
@JP.
I fully agree with you, domestic helpers should be given fair salary and benefit.
@Fonega,
We should increase the quality of our workers by training them properly
so that whey will be treated properly
when they work abroad.
@Colson,
Before this MOU their passports were held by the employers, no vacation, not minimum salary. Just like you said they were sent to work like slaves.
@Vainit,
Now that the government cannot provide jobs for millions of workers here, the alternative would be to "make them" work abroad. BUT before they go they must be trained properly so that they can communicate with their would be employers and work properly.
melindungi rakyat di negeri sendiri aja masih ga bisa. tapi semoga aja segera ada perubahan yang lebih baik
Aku pengin tinggal di malaysia lho..?
CMIIW, MoU is not always binding. if the worker has no knowledge of his/her rights, the employer can do whatever they want.
took me a long time but im following you now :)
@TUKANG CoLoNG,
Semoga dimasa yang akan datang nasib tenaga kerja kita di Malaysia akan benar2 lebih baik.
@Kamal Hayat,
Semoha keinginan anda kesampaian.
@Triesti,
Although an MoU is not a law that binds but at least there is better regulation to protect the workers.
Before those workers leave Indonesia they must trained properly so they can communicate with their employers, know what work they will do, and know their rights.
@Davaoena,
Thank you for following.
Perlindungan terhadap rakyat sendiri kok seperti nya susah sekali ya di indonesia... saya harap sih pemerintah melindungi rakyat sengan sungguh2..
yang penting perlindungan tehadap TKI berjalan dengan baik
It's better that we should improve the quality of Human Resources before sending them abroad.
@Fahrizi
Mudah2an kondisinya membaik.
@R10,
Itu yang kita harapkan bersama.
@Utomo,
We definitely must train the
workers properly, including how to communicate with their would be employers.
each I read the workers got accident or arrested in Malaysia broke our heart but what we can do to solve this problem the most of Indonesian worker in there have low education background and they don't have skill just became a servant
amin pak.. (:
@Munir Ardi,
Yes, without proper training our workers would only be servants not respected by their foreign employers.
@TUKANG CoLoNG,
Mudah2an MoU ini akan membantu nasib pekerja kita disana.
To me, helper should not be treated as helper once we decided to get them. They are part of our family members and our responsibilities towards them is just like taking care of our own family. I have been having maid since 10-15 years ago and my children only knew they are having a maid when they grow up and know to differentiate.
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