Legal action would be taken against those found to have been involved in distributing "Indonesian maids now on sale" advertisements, stressed Human Resource Minister Dr S Subramaniam.

He warned that the issue would not be viewed lightly as it could adversely affect good relations between the two countries.

He told a media conference prior to attending the National Occupational Health and Safety Excellence Awards at the Putrajaya International Convention Conference today that the Manpower Department had taken samples of the advertisements but attempts to contact the telephone number on the address had been unsuccessful.

According to him, the address stated on the advertisements was that of a hair salon in Port Klang which had been closed down, while the telephone number was not in service.

"We will pursue our efforts to track down the culprits. If there are victims, it would make it easier for us to take action," he said.

The advertisements were found to have been distributed around Chow Kit Road in Kuala Lumpur.

Meanwhile, Dr Subramaniam said the government was committed to reducing workplace accidents by 30 percent to 2.60 percent per 1,000 workers, in line with the Occupational Safety and Health Master

Plan 2011-2015 also known as OSH-MP 15.He said the rate fell from 5.84 percent in 2004 to 3.40 percent in 2011.

- Bernama