Malaysians to work as maids abroad?

PETALING JAYA: Families in Australia, Britain, and New Zealand have shown interest in hiring Malaysians as maids.

My Local Maid (MLM), a programme to get Malaysian to work as domestic workers, has gained the attention of prospective employers abroad.

Wan Roslan Wan Othman, the founder of MLM, told the Straits Times of Singapore there are plans to supply maids abroad.

"We have had several potential employers seeking to hire a helper through MLM but out of the four inquiries, none has been successful just yet," he was quoted by the newspaper as saying.

However, there are issues to be looked into, including visa application, pay, and the inability to speak English.

"They want to hire our maids but under our existing policy and pay," Wan Roslan said. "The income bracket should be aligned with how much helpers earn in the respective country."

The programme has set between RM1,000 and RM1,500 as monthly wage for MLM maids in Malaysia.
However, the fees could be higher depending on the job scope and responsibilities. Employers also have to provide accommodation and food.

Wan Roslan said Malaysian maids also fear becoming victims of human trafficking.

Singapore could be the best destination for Malaysian maids, he said.

"Although Singapore is a foreign land, it is close to Johor and there are tonnes of Johoreans who speak English and are looking for an opportunity to work there. Also, some Singaporeans know Bahasa Malaysia," he was quoted as saying.