Malaysia ailing from poor labour standards, minister warns of blacklist action

Human Resources Minister M Saravanan warned today that employers who declined to pay their domestic workers or mistreated them would be blacklisted forever.

Saravanan said this in reference to a recent news report where a worker had not been paid in her 12 years of service to the employer.

However, he did not indicate if the blacklist action had applied to the said errant employer.

On Dec 24 last year, Malaysiakini revealed the plight of a domestic worker whose movements were restricted, communications with home denied and wages were held for the 12 years she worked for an employer said to be a ‘Tan Sri’ in his 70s.

On Feb 17, Malaysiakini reported that the employer had paid up more than RM100,000 in back wages after one year of negotiations and the domestic worker was finally returning home.

Saravanan said although such cases were remote it was damaging the “good name of the country”.

“There were more than 1.1 million migrant domestic workers in the country and even though they fell under the informal sector, they too had rights and their welfare should be well protected.

“These cases were affecting our negotiations with sending countries like Indonesia and Cambodia,” he said in a statement, giving a new indication that the ministry was in the midst of bilateral negotiation with the latter country as well.

Human Resources Minister M Saravanan

Saravanan said his ministry will also work closely with the Home Ministry in addressing such issues.

Wisma Putra-Indonesia envoy meeting

Meanwhile, Wisma Putra revealed in a statement that it held its second meeting with Indonesian Ambassador to Malaysia Hermono on Monday (Feb 21) who had recently complained of high abuse cases in Malaysia and almost none in neighbouring Singapore.

In early February, Hermono (who goes by one name) also expressed that he was not confident clauses in the memorandum of understanding (MOU) would be enforced as the Home Ministry was missing from negotiations, which had inadvertently courted a retaliation from Home Minister Hamzah Zainudin.

Wisma Putra also assured that any issues that arose on the recruitment and placement of domestic workers would be channelled through the relevant ministries or government agencies.

Cabinet approves MOU with Indonesia

Wisma Putra’s involvement may have smoothed over the tensions as Saravanan said in a separate statement today, that he had received the cabinet’s approval of the MOU with Indonesia, indicating that it was finalised and ready to be inked.

“The cabinet has instructed me to set a date with my Indonesia counterpart to have the MOU signed as soon as possible.

“I am confident that the MOU will benefit both countries, especially domestic workers who need the employment opportunity in their economic situations.

“The MOU will also benefit local employers who are in urgent need of the assistance of domestic workers,” he added. - Mkini