Malaysia is one of Asia's biggest employers of foreign labour. But recently, cases of deaths, abuse and forced labour have come to light. What is going on? Who is protecting these migrant workers?
Its vice-president Jeffrey Foo said the association had presented a working
paper to the Home Ministry on why the cap was "impossible to implement."
<p>"It cost us (agencies) between RM2,300 and RM3,000 just to get the bio-data
of a maid. This is the amount we have to pay the Indonesian agents," said
Foo.</p>
<p>He said the maid agencies were only following a guideline in the Memorandum
of Understanding signed between Indonesia and Malaysia, which stated that any
cost incurred by a maid in Indonesia must be borne by her.</p>
<p>Foo said the "market rate" for bringing in an Indonesian maid was
at least RM5,000.</p>
<p>He said the actual amount paid by an employer worked out to be about half of
the RM5,000 paid, as a maid’s salary was deducted for several months by the
employer.</p>
<p>On July 5, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced that
employment agencies cannot charge employers more than RM2,500 for each foreign
maid they supplied.</p>
<p>He also stated that all foreign maids should receive their salary from the
first month of employment.</p>
<p>Foo agreed with Najib’s views, saying that the predicament of the maids should
be considered.</p>
<p>"We pity the maids, too, but we cannot control the supply market in Indonesia.
The recruitment agents there charge the maids a certain sum to prepare them
for their trip.</p>
<p>"The sum runs into thousands of ringgit and the maids do not have that
kind of money. The employers here have to pay first, then deduct from the maid’s
salary.</p>
<p>"The cost used to be about RM1,083 back then. It rose to about RM3,000
because of the exchange rate, rising costs and middlemen," said Foo.</p>
<p>Asked if the Indonesian agents were aware of the RM2,500 cap ruling, Foo said
they knew but were "not bothered."
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