An agreement on the treatment of Indonesian domestic workers in Malaysia is on track to be completed by the end of this month, Indonesia's Manpower Minister Erman Suparno said.

He said the deal will substantially increase the salaries of Indonesian maids who make up 95 percent of the 350,000 foreign domestic workers in Malaysia, and also specify a range of rights including regular time off.

After years of negotiations, the two countries in May signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the treatment of Indonesian domestic workers.

Suparno said the details of the agreement and negotiations were expected to be finalised by the end of August.

"It should be finished by the end of this month," he told AFP during a recent visit here.

Indonesia has long argued for a minimum wage and Suparno said he expected an agreement from Malaysia on a minimum RM500 monthly salary, as well as time off each week.

Most Indonesian maids here currently earn RM300 to RM400 a month - well below the pay offered in Hong Kong and Singapore. Many are forced to work a seven-day week.

Respect right to practise religion

Suparno said the agreement will also include civil and political rights, such as access to communications to keep in touch with families, and the right to vote in any Indonesian elections.

Domestic workers, most of whom are Muslims, will also have the right to freely practise their religion.

"Sometimes we send our domestic workers with non-Muslim families, and sometimes in those families the right of practising the religion is not fully respected."

Agreements on domestic workers with "almost the same" conditions have been signed with Kuwait, Jordan, South Korea, Hong Kong and the Philippines, he said, while several more are being negotiated.

Indonesia is already in talks with Brunei, Qatar, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, Japan and Canada and is pursuing a agreement with Singapore, Suparno said.

"I hope the MOUs will be finished by the end of the year, especially with Japan, Qatar and Syria," he said. "The principles will be the same conditions."