Indonesian maids to get one day off a week

Kuala Lumpur (ANTARA News/Bernama)-- Indonesians maids in Malaysia will be given one day off a week and be allowed to keep their passports during their stay in the country.

The Home Ministry, in a statement Wednesday, stated that the rest day requirement would be enforced after amendments were made to the Employment Act 1955.

These terms were agreed upon by Malaysia and Indonesia at the third meeting of the Working Committee on the Recruitment and Placement of Indonesian Maids on Aug 20, it added. The Malaysian delegation was led by the Home Ministry Secretary-General, Mahmood Adam.

The meeting also agreed that the temporary work permits of Indonesian maids who ran away from their employers would be revoked immediately and the maids would not be allowed to enter Malaysia again to work.

It said the meeting also agreed on the salary range for Indonesian maids in

Malaysia where the starting salary will be determined by market forces.

The committee will hold its fourth meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia, this Saturday, where among the issues to be discussed will be on the fee structure for employment of maids.

This is important because it is a burden for Malaysian employers who have to cope with the high cost imposed by maid agencies, it added.

The issue on the fee structure has not been solved since the second meeting in 2007 following Indonesia`s failure to submit a new fee structure to be considered by Malaysia.(*)

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