Fine tuning needed for online maid system

PETALING JAYA: Time should be given to the Immigration Department to adjust the “hiccups” faced under the new Maid Online system (SMO) introduced on Jan 1.

Malaysian Maid Employers Association president (Mama) Engku Ahmad Fauzi said the organisation is working closely with the Immigration Department, maid agencies, as well as other NGOs to ensure smooth function of the system.

“This system is very new. It is too early to tell (about its effectiveness). I give it one month to be moulded into perfection.

“The authorities are giving their best, and NGOs such as Mama is always assisting them to fine tune the system to perfection,” Engku Ahmad said.

He said among the problems faced by the system is the computer literacy of users and the website crashing due to a large number of users trying to access it.

Engku Ahmad, however, commended the system’s effectiveness in approving 50% of the total applications received.

“Some 111,000 people have visited the SMO website and 3,141 employers have been granted access by the Immigration Department.

“From the 3,141 employers, 76 have submitted completed documents and out of the 76, a total of 36 are set to be the first batch to receive their maids.”

The SMO allows employers to directly recruit foreign maids from source countries without having to go through agencies.

The direct hiring would reduce the cost and burden of employers as they would only have to pay around RM3,600 to RM3,800 compared with payments of between RM12,000 and RM18,000 via the agencies.

This initiative was announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak during the tabling of the 2018 budget.