RM2,400 Fee for a Maid

JAKARTA: Malaysia and Indonesia have signed an agreement to fix the fees to hire Indonesian maids at RM2,400 per person.

Home Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Radzi Sheikh Ahmad said that with the accord, foreign maid agencies in Malaysia could not seek a higher fee from potential employers.

“We have fixed it at RM2,400. This is acceptable as it will not burden the employers and the maids. Agents are reminded not to charge more than that,” he told reporters after launching Malaysia's second generation passport at the Malaysian Embassy here.

Jakarta is the fifth foreign capital where the passport will be made available to Malaysians.
Radzi said those who did not toe the line would have their licences revoked.

The maids, meanwhile, must come up with the RM1,300 for their agents in Indonesia, who would make the necessary arrangements for their employment in Malaysia.

The agreement, which is an extension to the bilateral agreement on maids signed by Radzi in Bali last May, was signed by the ministry's secretary-general Tan Sri Aseh Che Mat with the Indonesian Immigration yesterday.

Radzi said the Government planned to make it compulsory for employers to pay for their maids' health insurance policies as well as disbursing at least 30% of the maids' first month salary to them.

“This is to ensure that the maids have some cash to spend,” he said.

At present, there are more than 380,000 Indonesian maids in Malaysia. – Bernama


Source : STAR
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