It is painful to be paying RM800 a month for maids or foreign workers when they are unable to work the way we expect them to.

Now, reflect on our civil servants who are paid RM600 or even less than our maids. You have my sympathy.

How many of us really treat our maids and categories of foreign workers well? Do we speak to them the way we would speak to a local worker?

When they need a listening ear, are there for them? Folks, are we hiring a maid or trying to emotionally torture a slave-to-be?

Malaysians generally are not willing to invest in training. This includes training our maids. We can't just expect our maids to be able to do everything at home by themselves.

Maid agencies exist to cater to demand. If we keep bargaining for ridiculous prices to hire a maid, chances are you'll get a lower quality of maid to match the value you are willing to pay.

I have personally encountered my ex-boss complaining about his maid's incompetence. Later, I found out that my ex-boss didn't train her by showing how to perform tasks or do a job well. After I showed how her to do the job, she did well.

We must admit that we need them to help us do the jobs that we do not want to do. If we are hired as a maid or foreign worker, would we do the job they are doing currently with the pay of RM800 a month?

Even if we were to do it, would we do it whole-heartedly? Don't we wish to get proper guidance too in our jobs?

We all get training every time we land a new job in a new company. It is a norm but why can't we do it with our maids?

I'm not saying that all foreign maids/workers are always right. Nobody is perfect.

Why are we expecting our poorly paid maids/workers to be perfect when we ourselves are not?

If they are really that skilled, do you think they will still work with you for RM800 a month? Think about it.