Maid guidelines win-win for all

Agencies hope policies will address key issues faced by domestic helpers

PETALING JAYA: Employers and employment agencies of foreign domestic workers are hoping that the new guidelines to be launched by the Government today will address key issues of maids’ wages and welfare.

Malaysian National Association of Employment Agencies (Pikap) president Datuk Raja Zulkepley Dahalan hoped the guidelines would steer more employers towards being fair to their helpers and not put too much pressure on them.

“Maids are there to do household chores, but if you ask them to do gardening or wash your car, then it is out of their job scope, and it can be considered abuse as well.

“Do not take advantage of or abuse maids by not providing a proper living space or food, and by overworking them,” he said.

Raja Zulkepley also hoped that more employers would pay maids’ salaries on time.

He said many maids come from an impoverished background and depend on their salary to support their families back home.

“Some employers wait until the maid’s contract ends before paying their salary.

“This will put extra pressure on the helpers as they are not sure if they will ever be paid,” he added.

Raja Zulkepley also suggested that before maids are sent back to their home countries, the Immigration Department should contact their agents to check if the helpers had been paid.

He said that currently, the department issues a “check out memo”, which states that the maid’s contract has ended, to employers without informing the agents.

“The agents won’t know if the maids received their wages or if they were abused. In the end, Malaysia is blamed if something bad happens,” he added.

Malaysian Maid Employers Association (Mama) president Engku Ahmad Fauzi Engku Muhsein hoped domestic helpers would be made to undergo an orientation programme upon arrival so that they can adapt to Malaysian culture, laws and work practices.

He also said the maids and their employers should know and understand their respective rights, duties and responsibilities beforehand.

“Employers should also have the option to engage foreign maids on a parttime basis, through a governmentappointed agency, to address the problem of runaway maids,” he said.

Meanwhile, a source from the Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) said it would like to see a “more formal” arrangement between helpers and their employers, rather than the current informal manner.

“For example, some employers treat their maids like family members. Perhaps there should be something more formal, purely emphasising the employeremployee arrangement, and nothing personal.

“We also suggested that maids should be given the day off on public holidays. If employers cannot give them the day off, then the helpers could be compensated financially,” the source said.

He added that MEF had also suggested flexibility on wage payments to maids.

“Sometimes it can be quite troublesome for employers to have go to the bank, so they should be able to make their own arrangements on how to pay the maids,” he said.

“We want guidelines that will be a winwin situation for both sides.”

Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Richard Riot will launch the guidelines and tips for employers of foreign domestic helpers in Putrajaya today.

newsdesk@thestar.com.my