Malaysia-Indonesia to restart MOU talks on domestic helpers

 

Malaysia and Indonesia will resume discussions towards signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on recruitment and placement of domestic helpers here, according to Human Resources Minister M Saravanan.

Saravanan in a statement said the latest round of discussion was initiated during a virtual meeting with his Indonesian counterpart, Ida Fauziyah, on May 6.

Subsequent meetings were postponed due to Indonesia's Covid-19 lockdown and several positive cases among its Labour Ministry's staff, Saravanan said. The lockdown is set to end on June 28.

"Bilateral discussions will recommence as soon as Indonesia ends its lockdown and the ministry's staff return to office," he said.

As of Feb 28, Saravanan said there are 73,173 Indonesian domestic helpers here, and concerns were raised over restrictions of new entries due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

He added that Indonesian President Joko Widodo during an official meeting with Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin in Jakarta in February agreed that the new agreement must be expedited.

Malaysia and Indonesia last signed a formal MOU on recruitment and placement of Indonesian domestic helpers here in 2011, with revised terms to an initial agreement reached in Bali, Indonesia, in 2006.

Saravanan confirmed that the terms of the 2011 agreement had "expired" on May 30, 2016.

Sources familiar with the matter said there had been intermittent discussions held in the past five years until today but to no real progress.

Lack of protection

When contacted, Migrant Care country representative Alex Ong said among key demands were for domestic helpers to be granted formal recognition as "workers" under Malaysian labour laws, entitling them to equal protection and minimum wage.

"And no maid online system policy," added Ong in reference to the Immigration Department's online hiring system first introduced in 2018.

While the online system reduced hiring costs, rights groups raised concerns over a lack of protection for women hired directly by employers as domestic helpers through the system.

Indonesian law currently states that all citizens to be recruited as domestic helpers abroad must go through approved agencies to protect them against exploitation.

Meanwhile, migrant activist Nasrikah Sarah noted the new MOU had been long overdue.

"It has been stalled for five years despite ongoing recruitment and placement.

"The new terms should include recognition of domestic work as formal work so that we could earn a decent minimum wage equal to other workers," she said.

Nasrikah said at present an Indonesian domestic helper could be paid anywhere between RM600 and RM1,200 a month, with exceptions for those with more work experience.

This was in contrast to Filipino domestic helpers who must be paid a minimum US$400 (RM1,664) a month, an amount set by their own government for placements in Malaysian households.

Earlier this year, groups fighting for recognition of domestic work as formal work under the Employment Act 1955 have launched its Kakak Juga Pekerja campaign in conjunction with International Women's Day 2021.

Under the current legislation, domestic workers are listed as an exemption to workers granted rights, from the most basic of labour rights like hours of work, rest days, conditions of service, and even maternity benefits. - Mkini