COMPULSORY FOR EMPLOYERS TO BANK IN MAID'S SALARY SOON

PETALING JAYA, April 23 (Bernama) -- Employers will soon have to credit the
wages of their maids in banks or other financial institutions, outgoing Human
Resources Ministry Secretary-General Thomas George said Thursday.

He said this would be effective with the amendments to the Employment Act
1955 which were in the pipeline.

At present the wages were kept by the employers and this had led to abuse
where the maids were not paid their dues, he said.

In his keynote address at the National Consultation on ILO decent work
agenda for domestic workers, he said the move was necessary to ensure that the
maids were not victimised and deprived of their remunerations.

His speech was delivered by Industrial Relations Department Director-General
Mohd Yunus Razzaly. George has been transferred to the Works Ministry as its
secretary-general effective Wednesday.

Bernama understands that the amendments would be tabled in parliament by
year end or early next year.

George acknowleged that there were gaps in the present procedures for hiring
maids which could be abused but said the ministry was working to overcome them.

He added that the ministry had established a technical committee comprising
members from all the relevant departments and agencies to address outstanding
issues on the legal aspects, welfare and protection of foreign workers,
including maids.

It also held regular discussions with its foreign counterparts through
special committees to further improve communications, coordination and
implementation of policies regarding domestic workers besides strengthening
cooperation with supply countries on the protection of domestic workers.

He said said the demand for maids in the country was still high as the
Malaysian family cell required both husband and wife to work, hence their
dependence was greatly felt.

On the ILO's intention to draw up a convention on domestic workers, George
said Malaysia welcomed it, provided that it met national needs and did not turn
out to be liability to both the workers and the employers.

There are about 293,400 maids from Indonesia, Sri Lanka, the Philippines,
Cambodia and Vietnam in the country and the majority of them are from Indonesia.
-- BERNAMA