MALAYSIA-INDONESIA EXPECT TO SIGN MOU ON MAIDS SOON

KUALA LUMPUR, June 21 (Bernama) -- Indonesia's freeze on maids to Malaysia
is expected to be lifted once both countries signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) in a month, said Human Resources Minister Dr S.
Subramaniam.

Dr Subramaniam said the MoU would be signed once the issue of cost
structuring - recruitment cost of bringing in Indonesian maids here - were
ironed out.

"We are resolving the issue of Indonesian maids...we hope to finalise it
by another month," he told reporters at the presentation of scholarship to SPM
students by the Amma Foundation here Sunday.

The Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM), or the Malaysian Certificate of
Education, is a national examination taken by all fifth-year secondary school
students in Malaysia. SPM is equivalent to the O-Level.

Subramaniam said many main issues had already been solved while the issue on
cost structuring was still being discussed between officials of both countries.

"Once reaching an agreement on a reasonable cost structure, we will sign the
MoU and after that able to move (lifting of the ban and bringing in maids)," he
said.


Indonesia freezed its supply of maids to Malaysia last June, following some
cases of maid abuse and lack of benefits, including a minimum monthly salary and
request for a day off in a week.

Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta recently signed a Letter of Intent to give a new
dimension to the employment of domestic workers in Malaysia and the two
countries agreed on revised terms.

Dr Subramaniam also spoke on the recently held 99th session of the
International Labour Conference organised by the International Labour
Organisation (ILO) in Geneva, where he held several bilateral meetings with his
counterparts from other countries.

The minister said there were countries from Africa and the Middle East that
were keen to increase cooperation with Malaysia, in areas such as skills
upgrading and training.

He said Malaysia had told the conference that on the issue of migrant
workers, due to the local situation, Malaysia has certain limitations --
certain things it can do and certain things it was not able to fulfill.


"So we have requested that whatever policies the international community
dealt with should consider the local laws and regulations and the situation of
the various countries. So it will be easier for us to actually comply to
whatever standards they are putting up," he said.

Meanwhile, Dr Subramaniam said 361 Malaysian Indian students were given JPA
scholarships for 2010, compared with 354 in 2009.

Out of this, 161 are for foreign universities and 200 for local
universities, he said.

-- BERNAMA



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