NST Online
2009/09/16
F.H., Kluang
I REFER to your report "Indonesia to seek RM800 salary for maids" (NST, Sept 5).
As a housewife, I consider such a demand to be without merit.
Without even conducting a study to justify the high increase in wages, the Indonesian government believes that whatever demands it makes, we, the local employers, will accept them. Such frivolous demands are unacceptable.
Our government has in the past been so patient over Indonesian maids' demands that their government misconstrues this as a sign of weakness.
We have given in to the maids' demands over several issues, such as giving them a day off each week, regular wage increases, revision of cost structure and agreeing that their passports be held by them.
It will not surprise me if, by next year, their government requests that their maids' monthly wages be increased to RM1,000 and that they be given bonuses and perks .
Those employers who wish to have their domestic helpers' employment extended for another year or two may also be required to provide the maids free return air tickets to their hometown for a holiday, before returning here to continue working at a higher salary.
Many people are not aware that the maids recruited to work in Malaysia are below par compared with those sent to Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Middle-East countries.
Those are hardworking, reliable and dedicated, hence they deserve to be paid more than their counterparts here.
Over the past years, I have engaged the services of a number of maids whose performance turned out to be dismal. They were not up to handling household chores, such as keeping the house clean, washing clothes, ironing, and taking care of babies and children.
Cooking is one chore they fail in because of their negative attitude. Teaching them is almost next to impossible as most of them are stubborn and not amenable to instructions. When chores are not done, they feign ignorance.
Their government ignores the fact that, with board and lodging and the supply of basic amenities such as toiletries and medical care, the cost we incur per month is more than RM1,000.
Given such inadequacies, would it be fair to make us pay them RM800 per month?
May I also add that it is high time our government put a stop to the proliferation of maids agencies, as some are dishonest. Employers have to pay between RM7,000 and RM8,000 to an agency every time they want to hire a maid.
I have had the unfortunate experience of having three maids run away, probably with the encouragement of the agency.
I have to pay a similar amount for a replacement. This benefits the maid agency and the runaway maids who will receive a substantial commission.
To overcome such problems, I propose that the levy be paid to a statutory body whose duty is to control and manage the funds collected, instead of to the maid agencies.
Payment can be made by monthly contribution until the completion of the maids' contracts. This mode of payment will lighten the financial burden of the employer and, in the event the maids run away, the employers will not lose the whole sum paid as levy.
The agencies can claim their commission from the statutory body. Employers will then no longer be susceptible to being cheated and manipulated as they are now.
From now on, we should not be over-dependent on Indonesia for maids. We should look to Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Sri Lanka and India.
Who knows, we might get a better deal from those countries.
2009/09/16
F.H., Kluang
I REFER to your report "Indonesia to seek RM800 salary for maids" (NST, Sept 5).
As a housewife, I consider such a demand to be without merit.
Without even conducting a study to justify the high increase in wages, the Indonesian government believes that whatever demands it makes, we, the local employers, will accept them. Such frivolous demands are unacceptable.
Our government has in the past been so patient over Indonesian maids' demands that their government misconstrues this as a sign of weakness.
We have given in to the maids' demands over several issues, such as giving them a day off each week, regular wage increases, revision of cost structure and agreeing that their passports be held by them.
It will not surprise me if, by next year, their government requests that their maids' monthly wages be increased to RM1,000 and that they be given bonuses and perks .
Those employers who wish to have their domestic helpers' employment extended for another year or two may also be required to provide the maids free return air tickets to their hometown for a holiday, before returning here to continue working at a higher salary.
Many people are not aware that the maids recruited to work in Malaysia are below par compared with those sent to Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Middle-East countries.
Those are hardworking, reliable and dedicated, hence they deserve to be paid more than their counterparts here.
Over the past years, I have engaged the services of a number of maids whose performance turned out to be dismal. They were not up to handling household chores, such as keeping the house clean, washing clothes, ironing, and taking care of babies and children.
Cooking is one chore they fail in because of their negative attitude. Teaching them is almost next to impossible as most of them are stubborn and not amenable to instructions. When chores are not done, they feign ignorance.
Their government ignores the fact that, with board and lodging and the supply of basic amenities such as toiletries and medical care, the cost we incur per month is more than RM1,000.
Given such inadequacies, would it be fair to make us pay them RM800 per month?
May I also add that it is high time our government put a stop to the proliferation of maids agencies, as some are dishonest. Employers have to pay between RM7,000 and RM8,000 to an agency every time they want to hire a maid.
I have had the unfortunate experience of having three maids run away, probably with the encouragement of the agency.
I have to pay a similar amount for a replacement. This benefits the maid agency and the runaway maids who will receive a substantial commission.
To overcome such problems, I propose that the levy be paid to a statutory body whose duty is to control and manage the funds collected, instead of to the maid agencies.
Payment can be made by monthly contribution until the completion of the maids' contracts. This mode of payment will lighten the financial burden of the employer and, in the event the maids run away, the employers will not lose the whole sum paid as levy.
The agencies can claim their commission from the statutory body. Employers will then no longer be susceptible to being cheated and manipulated as they are now.
From now on, we should not be over-dependent on Indonesia for maids. We should look to Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Sri Lanka and India.
Who knows, we might get a better deal from those countries.
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