EMPLOYERS CAN NOW HIRE MAIDS DIRECTLY

Each household can save RM10,000 by bypassing agents, middlemen

KUALA LUMPUR

EVERY household stands to save RM10,000 when they employ a new maid under the Federal Government’s 2018 Budget initiatives, which was tabled in Parliament yesterday.

Malaysian Maid Employers Association (Mama) president Engku Ahmad Fauzi Engku Muhsein said the existing costs for hiring domestic helpers could be halved once employers were allowed to do so directly without having to go through maid agencies.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had, during the tabling of the budget, announced that employers could hire domestic helpers directly from nine countries starting next year.

“For example, if a person were to hire an Indonesian maid through an agency, employers have to pay between RM14,000 to RM18,000, which includes payment for levies, visas, permits, and medical costs, among others.

“From the total, around RM10,000 goes to the agent for training, temporary accommodations, flight tickets and the ‘middlemen’ in Indonesia.

“Through the initiatives announced

z by the government, employers can bypass all these and deal directly with maids at the source countries. I hope this initiative is retained,” he said.

Under the Barisan Nasional government’s budget, employers are allowed to apply for visas for their maids via Internet at existing levy and processing fee rates.

For expecting parents, the government and Permodalan Nasional Bhd had agreed for Malaysian babies born from Jan 1 next year until 2022 to be provided with an initial savings fund of RM200 in unit trust under the fund management company.

Najib, in announcing this, said it was the first such scheme to be introduced in Malaysia, known as Amanah Dana Anak Malaysia 2050 or ADAM50.

He told local authorities that as the country was moving towards Transformasi Nasional 2050 (TN50), they should make it compulsory for all new offices to provide childcare centres, starting with those in the city.

“This is to ensure we can strike a balance of work and life quality for families,” said Najib, who is finance minister.

For the welfare of people with special needs, Najib announced that the extra tax exemption for employers who hire people with different abilities would be extended to workers injured in accidents or suffer from critical illnesses, and who have been certified by the Social Security Organisation (Socso) medical board to be able to work.

The government is also allocating RM1.7 billion for the welfare of people with special needs, senior citizens and children.

RM603 million from the amount would be used to increase monthly allowance for senior citizens to RM350 each (from 300 previously); while people with special needs, both employed and unemployed, and their caretakers would receive a RM50 increment on top of what they receive every month.

Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that focus on social wellbeing would receive an allocation of RM50 million from the Federal Government, meant to boost activities towards addressing social problems.

Najib said this reflected the government’s concern over the worsening social ills and in recognition of the NGOs efforts in resolving them.

The allocation would be provided in the form of grants.

Najib said the government was increasing the minimum amount of monthly pension to RM1,000, which would benefit more than 50,000 pensioners who served for a minimum of 25 years.

The pensioners would have medical benefits extended to their parents under the budget.

Government pensioners would receive a special bonus totaling RM750 next year, RM500 of which would be paid in January while the rest to be received by Hari Raya Aidilfitri.

During the tabling, Najib announced an extra allocation of RM200 million to the National Higher Education Fund Corporation’s (PTPTN), to increase the maximum loan amount to students from B40 Group who take highly marketable courses.

“Secondly, the grace period for repayment of loan is extended to 12 months, compared with six months before this.

“For borrowers who wish to further their studies to the next level, for example from diploma to Bachelor’s Degree, they can combine their loan as one and only start repaying after they finish their degree studies.”

He said the government had agreed to extend the discount period for the PTPTN loan repayment to end of next year.

These include the 20 per cent discount from loan balance for those who settle it at once; 10 per cent for those who repay half of their balance amount at once, and 10 per cent discount for those who opt for salary deduction option.