GET MAIDS FROM PAPUA NEW GUINEA, MYANMAR, TIMOR LESTE

By Syed Azwan Syed Ali

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 22 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Association of Foreign Maid
Agencies (Papa) has urged the government to consider recruiting maids from Papua
New Guinea, Myanmar and Timor Leste.

Its president, Alwi Bavutty said this would ease the dependence on maids
from Indonesia, Cambodia and the Philippines.

"We are submitting this proposal to the Human Resources Ministry due to high
demand for maids," he told Bernama when contacted Monday.

He was commenting on Human Resources Minister Dr S.Subramaniam's
statement that Malaysia and Indonesia were currently in talks to find a "middle
path" in resolving the outstanding Indonesian maids salary issue after their
previous discussions ended in a deadlock.

Alwi said made agencies were allowed to recruit maids form Cambodia and the
Philippines following the freeze on maid intake by the Indonesian government
since the middle of last year.

Alwi said however, Muslims were barred from employing non-Muslim maids
from
the two countries.

Supporting the government's stand that maids salary should be based on
market forces as well as negotiations between employers and employees, he said
it should be a win-win situation for both parties.

"Maids are getting at least RM500 (US$148) a month. If their work is
excellent, employers should raise their pay. Their qualifications should also be
taken into consideration," he added.

Meanwhile, Bocehe Dewe Association, an association made up of 32,000
Indonesian workers, supported a condition imposed by the ministry that all new
maids and their respective employers must attend a seminar meant to educate them
on their rights and responsibilities.

Its chairman, Ambar Setiowibowo said Malaysia and Indonesia should iron out
perennial issues like minimum wage, maid abuse and transgression of rules and
conditions by employers.

"As we have not agreed on minimum wage, there should be an understanding
between employers and maids on a reasonable wage and maids, who performed well,
should be rewarded with an increment," he added.

-- BERNAMA