‘Treat maids with respect’
> Zahid condemns murder of Indonesian domestic worker
KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi yesterday reminded employers of foreign maids to treat their workers with respect and that their actions reflected the image of the country.
Ahmad Zahid, who is also home minister, said he condemned the action of M. A. Ambika, 60, who allegedly murdered her Indonesian maid Adelina Lisao, 26, last month.
“What Ambika did was very regrettable, from a personal point of view and from the government’s view. We condemn the action.
“I think all lawmakers from both sides of the political divide also agree with this, and we feel sorry for the victim’s family.
“We ask the people of Indonesia and the government to appreciate Malaysia’s stand on this matter,” Ahmad Zahid said in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.
Employers must respect their worker’s rights to safety and security, he said, as every person is held accountable to preserve the nation’s image, especially when Malaysia is striving to be among the top 20 nations in 2050.
He said Malaysia is a country that respects its laws, and assured Indonesian authorities that the investigation into Adelina’s case will be thorough.
“Justice must be served for Adelina. The police have already arrested the suspect and Indonesia’s Manpower and Transmigration Minister Muhammad Hanif Dhakiri has expressed his gratitude over this proactive measure,” he said.
He was responding to Datuk Seri Ikmal Hisham Abdul Aziz on the extent to which direct recruitment of a foreign domestic helper would be able to accommodate the demand in the country.
Ahmad Zahid said the Immigration Department’s new Maid Online System (MOS), which started this year, has proven to be a success as it saves employers from having to pay agents up to RM18,000, and instead only pay up to RM2,535.
He said to date, 543,460 applicants have used MOS, while some 10,604 employers have successfully registered in the system.
He added that some 1,903 foreign domestic workers have been registered in the system and out of that, 1,480 qualified under the Foreign Workers Medical Examination Monitoring Agency.
Ahmad Zahid also said the government is mulling ways to make it compulsory for employers to credit their foreign workers’ salaries into their bank accounts.
An e-wallet system is already in place that enables authorities to monitor employers who do not pay their workers’ salaries via credit slips and records. However, use of the system is not yet mandatory, he said.