MCA, Gerakan slams Immigration Dept policy on non-Muslim maids

PETALING JAYA: Both MCA and Gerakan have blasted the Immigration Department's policy of barring Muslims from hiring non-Muslim maids.
MCA's Religious Harmony bureau chairman Datuk Seri Ti Lian Ker said government directives made on lines of race or religion are discriminatory.
He said rules and regulations must be weighed carefully and not be made at the whim and fancy of those in power.
"There must be consistency and clear intent and purpose for the good of the state and welfare of all.
"Very often than not rules are made randomly based on the sentiments of the makers, thus causing additional cost, hardship and inconvenience to the public," Ti said in a statement today.
He said this type of rules and regulations should be avoided especially if it is made on the basis of race or religion that may be deem to be discriminatory or in exclusivity.
Ti called on the government to avoid drawing deeper lines in the public's daily activities and conduct as it will contribute towards more harm and damage against national integration and unity.
Similarly Gerakan Wanita chairman Datuk Tan Lian Hoe also criticised the policy stating that it would limit the supply of maids for Muslims.
"We believe it is ill-conceived and unnecessary, foreign maid associations and agencies were not consulted and also shocked by the ruling, it brings unnecessary regulatory burdens and social division," Tan said.

Maid agencies said they were stunned by the new directive by the Immigration Department which barred them from hiring non-Muslim maids but department officials said the policy was not new.
Malaysian Maid Employers Association (Mama) president Engku Ahmad Fauzi said the Immigration Department policy would limit the supply of maids for Muslims.
However Foreign Maids Agencies Association (Papa) president Jeffrey Foo said it was not a new directive as the policy has been in place for some time now.
He said flexibility was given for special cases when there is a shortage of Muslim Indonesian maids.