TALKS ON MAID SAFETY
Zahid hopes Indonesian govt will not stop workers from coming here
DEPUTY Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi hopes the Indonesian government will not stop its people from working as maids in Malaysia just because of a few cases of abuse involving Malaysian employers.
Zahid said he would meet Indonesia’s manpower minister, Muhammad Hanif Dhakiri, to discuss safety matters relating to Indonesian maids and workers in the country.
“I was aggrieved at learning (from Indonesian media reports), if they are true, that Indonesia plans to stop its people from becoming maids here because of a maid abuse case.
“We have standard operating procedures that need to be strictly adhered to by employers.
“The Malaysian authorities will not protect any employers who commit cruelty (against foreign maids),” he said after a walkabout at Dataran Bagan Datuk yesterday.
Present was Bagan Datuk district officer Datuk Hamzah Hussin.
Zahid was commenting on a news report, which had quoted an article on Indonesian portal Sindo News, on Indonesia’s suggestion to freeze the flow of maids from Indonesia, following the death of Adelina Lisao, 26, who was abused by her employer.
The development was relayed by Indonesian ambassador to Malaysia Rusdi Kirana last Thursday.
Zahid, who is home minister, said the Malaysian government would not protect or conceal any facts on the case.
“We hope that potential maids and the Indonesian Manpower Ministry will not view Malaysia negatively.”
He said although cases of abuse admittedly occurred in Malaysia, such incidences were relatively lower compared with other countries.
“This means that we place a great deal of importance on the welfare of maids from Indonesia.”
At a dialogue with Kampung Simpang Empat residents, Zahid announced the handover of 100 food trucks, courtesy of Yayasan Bina Upaya and Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority, to traders at Dataran Bagan Datuk.
He said the food trucks were part of an initiative to improve the economy of traders here.