KUALA LUMPUR – A Pakatan Harapan (PH) lawmaker has called on the government to introduce a policy compelling domestic workers to spend their nights in separate dwellings from their employers past their working hours.
Klang MP Charles Santiago said this could drastically reduce instances of abuses suffered by the helpers, particularly those from foreign countries.
This is among several proposals the DAP lawmaker has for the government in a bid to improve the working conditions of these workers.
Speaking to The Vibes, Santiago said Putrajaya also ought to amend the Employment Act 1955 to allow all its provisions to also protect the helpers.
Presently, domestic workers are excluded from certain provisions in the legislation, including maternity protection, hours of work, holidays, as well as lay-off, and retirement benefits.
“Today, many employers don’t respect the agreement they have with the domestic workers. There are issues of withholding of passport and wages, and long working hours, just to name a few.
“Make every household that employs domestic workers answerable to the Employment Act.
“Also, maybe introduce a government policy where after working from 9am to 5pm, for example, the workers must stay in a hostel to limit the abuse,” he said.
Santiago was asked to comment on a statement by Indonesian Ambassador to Malaysia, Hermono, that the republic is not keen on sending its citizens to work as domestic helpers in Malaysia due to mistreatment and unpaid wages.
According to Hermono, documents of only 10 Indonesians have been fully processed to allow them to work as helpers here, with the country also looking into phasing itself out completely as a source country to Malaysia.
This was the case despite the two nations signing a memorandum of understanding in April on the employment and protection of Indonesian domestic workers in Malaysia, providing weekly and annual leave, the right to communicate, and the ability to lodge complaints via an online system for employees.
It was also agreed that employers or agencies would no longer be able to withhold passports and are allowed only one maid per household of not more than six people.
Santiago noted that other than the reported abuses, domestic helpers are also often overworked.
“Now, many of them are hired as cooks and housekeepers. But then often times they also have to take care of children and sickly, elderly family members.
“How many jobs must they do? They are treated like slaves sometimes. I would suggest that if a worker is employed to take care of the house, then the employers need to hire another maid to look after a sick parent.”
Separately, Santiago said he believes the reason why lesser Indonesians are showing interest in working as domestic workers here is because of the declining ringgit and the feeling that Malaysia is no longer of higher stature than their country.
“There is really no incentive to come to Malaysia to work. Their minimum wages sometimes are even higher than ours, so they prefer to stay there and work, or go to countries like Korea, Japan, and Hong Kong with better exchange rates.
“Also, there is this feeling and perception in Indonesia now that they are at a higher level than us. I work with trade unions, and many feel like it is a downgrade to work here.” – The Vibes, July 2, 2022
