INDONESIA MAY RESUME SENDING MAIDS TO MALAYSIA IN AUGUST

KUALA LUMPUR, July 7 (Bernama) -- Indonesia will probably retract the
decision to stop sending its citizens to work as maids in Malaysia in August if
discussions on the matter between the two countries came out positive,
Indonesia's Minister for Labour and Transmigration, Erman Suparno, said Monday.

He said the meeting scheduled for middle of this month here, was aimed at
reviewing the memorandum of understanding on maids inked between the two
countries in May 2006.

"We are optimistic but it all depends on the outcome of the meeting.

"If everything turns out okay, the situation will be back to normal by
August and everybody will be happy," he told reporters at the Indonesian Embassy
here.

Earlier, the Indonesian minister attended a meeting with Human Resources
Minister, Dr S. Subramaniam and Inspector-General of Police Musa
Hassan in Putrajaya.

Erman said during the one-hour meeting, they had discussed various ways and
means to improve protection of the maids to prevent them from being abused by
employers.

He said in order to improve the protection, maid recruitment must be done
through legal maid agencies with a clear and transparent working contracts.

He also reiterated that Indonesia would try to tighten the departure process
of maids to prevent illegal entry into Malaysia.

Meanwhile, in an interview with Bernama's Radio 24 Monday, Erman also called
on the Malaysian government to take stern action against employers who abused
their maids.

"If the maid has done something wrong, prove it according to legal
procedures," he added.

-- BERNAMA