Cambodian maid issue to be resolved

> Direct hiring expected to start early next year, says envoy

KUALA LUMPUR: A number of technical matters regarding the hiring of Cambodian maids directly without going through an agent needs to be resolved before it can be implemented, said Malaysian ambassador to Cambodia Datuk Seri Hasan Malek.

He said among them were the provision of training, salary approval, and validation and approval of the national authorities in allowing the implementation of the programme, which stalled in 2011.

“The two governments are in the process of resolving the problems and technical issues that are expected to be finalised in the near future, the soonest by early next year,” he said.

In 2011, the Cambodian government banned its citizens from working as maids in Malaysia following reports of maid abuse by some employers.

But in late 2015, Malaysia and Cambodia signed a memorandum of understanding to resume sending maids to Malaysia, which is expected to commence in January.

In the 2018 Budget recently, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak said the government was giving employers the option to recruit foreign domestic workers directly from nine source countries due to the heavy costs incurred by households for the employment of foreign maids.

Najib said apart from that, employers can also apply for maid visas from the Immigration Department online, paying the levy and processing fees according to existing rates.

Commenting on that, Hasan said Cambodian maids would undergo training for at least a month, including studying Malaysian culture, as well as learning basic Malay and English before coming to Malaysia. – Bernama