‘Reduce cost of hiring maids’

KUALA LUMPUR: Wanita Umno has urged the government to reduce the cost of bringing in foreign maids to a maximum of RM5,000, from the current RM8,000.
Its chief Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said the cost is currently very high and burdening the employers, adding that the employer would lose a lot should the maid run away after recruitment.
"This matter could be considered a national economic issue because when the maid runs away, mothers will have to leave their jobs to look after the children. This will cost the country the loss of a talented female workforce," she said today.
Shahrizat said foreign maid agencies must take responsibility for workers who run away or are problematic during the two-year contract and replace them with new maids, without charging more.
From 2008 to 2013, there were 105,119 reported cases of maids running away, causing a loss of RM1 billion to employers.
Wanita Umno also suggested that the government set up a one-stop centre to record details of the maid, serve as a complaint centre for employers who face problems relating to maids and provide assistance such as legal, financial and medical services to maids and employers.
She said Wanita Umno would have discussions with the ministry and related agencies on ways to resolve the matter in the near future. – Bernama