The first batch of Indonesian maids is expected to arrive in Malaysia at the end of February or early March next year, said Human Resources Minister Dr S Subramaniam.  

He said the process of sourcing for new maids and providing the 200-hour training before they were sent here has been started in Indonesia.    

The Indonesian government withdrew its moratorium on sending maids to Malaysia on Dec 1.

“The Manpower and Transmigration Ministry in Indonesia has started the process of sourcing for new maids there and Malaysian agencies are now collecting employers’ biodata. When everything is completed, the first batch will arrive at the end of February or early March next year,” said Subramaniam.  

He was speaking to reporters after chairing the meeting on a study of the Wages Mechanism by Manpower Contractors in Kuala Lumpur today.  

Furthermore, the government will also seal a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Cambodia following the Cambodian government’s temporary ban on its citizens working as maids in Malaysia on Oct 14.  

The ministry announced that maid agencies in the country were having discussions among themselves first before holding talks with the Cambodian government on the MoU and it is hoped to be completed early next year.    

There were about 30,000 Cambodian maids in the country at the time of the ban as a result of several cases of alleged abuse here.  

A new mechanism to be used by manpower contractors, to prevent prolonged issues with such companies, was discussed in today’s meeting.   

Subramaniam said the contractors who supplied manpower to certain sectors were considered ineffective and oppressive towards the workers.   

The committee, which would be formed later, will study the mechanism to manage such companies which now number about 130, in operation since 2007, he added.

- Bernama