Indonesian maids to be paid RM1,500 upon contract renewal too, says envoy

 

Hermono says the renewal of work permits for existing maids will only be done after their new contract of employment is approved by the Indonesian embassy.

KUALA LUMPUR: Indonesian maids who are currently employed here are also entitled to be paid the minimum RM1,500 salary once their contracts are renewed, says Indonesian ambassador Hermono.

He said that the minimum wage stipulated under the new memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the recruitment and protection of Indonesian maids is not limited to new hires.

“All new maids will be paid RM1,500. However, those who are currently employed in Malaysia will also be paid this minimum wage when they renew their employment contracts,” Hermono told FMT.

He said that the immigration department will only issue work permits after the new contract of employment is approved by the Indonesian embassy.

Currently, Indonesian maids are paid an average salary of between RM900 and RM1,200 while those undocumented are paid even lower.

On April 1, the two governments signed the MoU on the recruitment and protection of maids, which stipulates a minimum salary of RM1,500.

Besides the minimum wage, the pact includes a new application through which complaints could be filed, amid concerns over the mistreatment of Indonesian maids in Malaysia.

Both countries have also agreed on the One Channel System, which aims to integrate the Indonesian maids placement process.

The MoU also outlines workers’ weekly and annual leave entitlement, the right to communicate, a ban on withholding passports, and the rule on one maid per household not exceeding six people.

Don’t hire if hesitant to pay minimum wage

Hermono said employers who are hesitant to pay the minimum wage to Indonesian maids currently in their employment should opt to hire maids from other countries instead.

“If a Malaysian employer does not agree to pay RM1,500, don’t recruit Indonesian maids. Recruit those from other countries, it’s an open market,” he said, adding that the MoU signed between the two countries must be respected.

Hermono added that the Indonesian embassy in Kuala Lumpur has started registering Malaysian employers who wish to hire Indonesian maids under the MoU, from yesterday.

He anticipates the first cohort of Indonesian maids to arrive in Malaysia next week, but was not able to provide the number.

Hermono also said that the Indonesian government has implemented a hiring system for maids, however, Putrajaya has yet to do so. - FMT