Friday, 04 September 2009
Indonesian maids in Malaysia to have weekly day off
AFP - Thursday, September 3·
KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) - – Indonesian maids working in Malaysia will be given one day off a week and be allowed to hold onto their passports, the home ministry said Thursday, in a new deal triggered by a string of abuse case.
Indonesia imposed a ban on sending maids to work here in June, after a 43-year-old Malaysian woman was charged with causing grievous bodily harm by beating her Indonesian maid and scalding her with boiling water.
Malaysia's Home Ministry said in a statement that the new terms were agreed by senior Malaysian and Indonesian officials who met in August."The meeting has agreed that Indonesian maids will be allowed to keep their passport when they are working in this country," it said.
Currently, employers typically hold onto maids' passports, to prevent them running away or to exercise control over them."The Indonesian maids also will be given one day off a week," it added.The ministry said the committee thrashing out the new working conditions will hold a fourth meeting in Jakarta this Saturday, which will tackle the hotly debated topic of maids' wages.
The issue of wages has remained unresolved despite talks that have been held intermittently since 2007.Malaysia -- one of Asia's largest importers of labour -- depends heavily on domestic workers, mainly from Indonesia, but has no laws governing their working conditions.
The government in May announced plans for new laws to protect domestic workers from sexual harassment, non-payment of wages and poor working conditions. Currently Indonesian maids typically work seven days a week for as little as 400 ringgit (113 dollars).
Indonesian Maids to have weekly day off
on Sunday, September 6, 2009Thursday, 18 June 2009
Employers Must Surrender Passport If Requested By MaidsBy:
PUTRAJAYA, June 17 (Bernama) -- Employers holding on to the passport of their foreign maids must surrender the travel document if requested by the maids.Failure to surrender the passport on the request will result in a RM10,000 fine under amendments to the Employment Act 1955.
Human Resource Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam, in announcing this here today, however, said foreign maids could only request for their passport, which was kept for security and other legitimate reasons, to be used for official use like the renewal of their visa."If the maid wants to leave and requests for the passport, it should be handed to her.
The amendments also put the onus on the employer to ensure that the visa of the domestic helper is renewed on time."If the visa is not renewed, then the employer is also liable to a fine," he told a press conference after meeting the Indian Human Resource Development Minister, Kapil Sibal, at a leading hotel here.Tuesday, Dr Subramaniam announced that under the amendments to the Employment Act, all foreign maids would be entitled to one day leave a week."We discussed with a lot of people before making this change. It is not something new as it is already in our Employment Act.
Only maids, except those from the Philippines, have been exempted from this ruling."The off day may not necessarily be a Sunday or a public holiday. It can be mutually agreed upon by the maid and the employer. This move was requested not only by the government but also workers' representatives and non-governmental organisations," he said.Dr Subramaniam said employers, with the mutual consent of their maids, could also compensate them if they were not given leave.The ministry, he said, would provide a booklet to each foreign maid entering the country, containing all important information including their rights and legal recourse in case of any problem in their employment."If there is a breach of contract by the employer, then the maid with the aid of the booklet will be able to lodge a report with the relevant authority," he said.
Meanwhile, he said the government had yet to decide whether to allow maids from China to work in Malaysia."Initially, when we looked at this, it received opposition from several quarters of the Chinese community, but now we don't know if the situation has changed," he added.
-- BERNAMA
Published: Saturday September 5, 2009 MYT 6:11:00 PM
By SARBAN SINGH
SEREMBAN: Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam has confirmed that Indonesia is demanding a RM800 minimum salary for its domestic maids, saying that it is under “pressure” to do so from the republic’s local media.
Dr Subramaniam said the Indonesian government had little choice but to do so following reports by its media of so-called rampant abuse of maids by Malaysian employers.
He said the RM800 wage demand was discussed during a meeting between ministry officials and their Indonesian counterparts in Putrajaya two weeks ago.
“We told them that this is not fair as 99.9% of the 280,000 Indonesian maids here are treated well.
“Only 0.1% may be ill-treated or not have their salaries paid but they (the Indonesian government) are being pressured by their media,” he said here Saturday.
Indonesian maids in the country are now being paid an average of between RM450 and RM600 monthly.
Asked if he thought the amount was high, Subramaniam said the ministry would wait for the outcome of the next meeting in Jakarta.
“I do not want to pre-empt it. I have told my officers what they should do. Let us wait and see if this is agreed to by our Indonesian counterparts,” he said.
Dr Subramaniam was responding to reports quoting Indonesian ambassador to Malaysia Da’i Bachtiar as saying that Jakarta would be making the higher wage demand in its negotiations.
Asked if his ministry had contingency plans in case Jakarta refused to budge, Dr Subramaniam said Malaysian employers could source their domestic maids from other countries.
“We should also stop relying on foreign maids. It is high time we become self-reliant.
“We allow employers to bring in maids from Cambodia, Laos, Sri Lanka and the Philippines. “We have also thought about China but there have been some debate here if this should be allowed,” he said.
Dr Subramaniam said it was also a known fact that when the government of a source country had asked for exorbitant wages for their maids, the demand from Malaysians would fall.
“We used to have more than 10,000 maids from the Philippines previously. The number has since fallen to 8,000. Malaysians have a choice where they wish to get their maids from,” he added.
RAMADHAN AL-MUBARAK BERTANDANG LAGI....
on Saturday, August 22, 2009Salam Ramadhan Al Mubarak to all....
“Barangsiapa yang berpuasa pada bulan Ramadhan dengan penuh keimanan dan mengharapkan pahala daripada Allah, dosanya yang telah lalu telah diampuni (oleh Allah)”
(Diriwayatkan oleh al-Bukhari dalam Shahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Iman – no : 38)
(Diriwayatkan oleh al-Bukhari dalam Shahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Shaum – no: 1894)
“Sesungguhnya di syurga terdapat pintu yang dinamakan al-Rayyan. Orang-orang yang berpuasa akan masuk melalui pintu itu pada hari Kiamat. Tidak ada seseorang pun yang akan masuk melalui pintu ini kecuali mereka .Dikatakan: Mana orang-orang yang berpuasa? Lalu mereka semua berdiri. Tidak ada seorang pun yang masuk melalui pintu ini selain mereka. Apabila mereka semua telah masuk, pintu ini akan ditutup dan tidak ada seorang pun yang akan masuk melaluinya”
(Diriwayatkan oleh al-Bukhari dalam Shahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Shaum – no: 1896)
Abu Umamah r.a berkata:
“Aku bertanya kepada Rasulullah s.a.w: Ya Rasulullah! Tunjukkan kepadaku satu amalan yang membolehkan aku memasuki syurga dengan cara itu. Lalu Rasulullah s.a.w bersabda: Kamu hendaklah berpuasa kerana sesungguhnya tidak ada satu cara pun yang mampu menandinginya”
(Diriwayatkan oleh Ibn Hibban – no: 3494)
“(Allah s.w.t berfirman) : Sesungguhnya dia (hamba) meninggalkan makan dan minum serta syahwatnya kerana-KU. Puasa (yang dia kerjakan adalah) kerana-KU. Puasa adalah untuk-KU. Sedangkan, AKU memberi balasan setiap kebaikan itu dengan sepuluh kali ganda sehingga 700 kali ganda kecualiibadah puasa. Ini kerana, ia (puasa) adalah untuk-KU dan (sudah tentu) AKU sendiri yang akan memberi balasannya”
(Diriwayatkan oleh Imam Malik dalam al-Muwaththa’, Kitab al-Shiyam – no: 603)
Sabda Rasulullah s.a.w :
“Setiap amal kebaikan anak Bani Adam pahalanya (dicatat oleh malaikat) kecuali puasa. Sesungguhnya ia adalah untuk-KU dan AKUlah yang memberi pahala puasanya”
(Diriwayatkan oleh al-Bukhari dalam Shahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Libas – no: 5927)
Al-Hafidz Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani r.h berkata mengenai hadis di atas:
“Ibadah puasa ini dianggap sebagai ibadah khusus untuk Allah kerana iabebas daripada unsur riak. Ini kerana, perlaksanaannya tidak dapat dilihat oleh mata kasar manusia. Orang yang sedang berpuasa dan orang yang tidak berpuasa sama sahaja dari segi luarannya. Berbeza dengan ibadah sepertisolat, membaca al-Quran, berzikir atau bersedekah yang mana perlaksanaannya dapat dilihat secara terbuka dan membuka ruang timbulnya perasaan riak. Oleh itu al-Imam al-Qurtubi r.h berkata: Disebabkan semua amal perbuatanyang ada ini dapat dimasuki unsur riak, sedangkan puasa itu hanya dilakukan semata-mata kerana Allah, tidak hairanlah Allah menisbbahkan puasa itu kepada diri-Nya”
(Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani dalam Fath al-Baari, jilid 11, halaman 20)
Sebar-sebarkanlah risalah ini. Rasulullah s.a.w bersabda
“Sesiapa yang menunjukkan suatu kebaikan, maka dia akan memperoleh pahala (sama) seperti pelakunya ”
dan at-Thabrani daripada Ibnu Mas’ud al-Badri r.a)
MAID ABUSE IN MALAYSIA: Shelter full of horror stories
on Sunday, June 21, 2009
Submitted by chang on Friday, June 12th, 2009
Embassy believes there are many other unreported cases
Friday, June 12th, 2009 10:27:00
Think cheating employers who shortchange their maids and deny them wages. Think employers who bring out the cane and beat their maids black and blue. Think employers who rape their maids and make them bear their children.
It's a horror story that not many will want to hear but this is the true picture of how sick Malaysians can be.
Second secretary (consular affairs) at the Indonesian Embassy in Malaysia, Susapto Anggoro Broto, has seen and heard it all at the embassy's shelter, located behind the embassy’s building on Jalan Tun Razak.
Susapto said a Taskforce for Services and Protection of Indonesians was formed in 2007 to deal with problems faced by their nationals. For these cases, the process of settling them can be quite lengthy as the women will be required to help in police investigations and to attend court hearings. The shelter then becomes their temporary home.
“Many ran away and came to us for help but I'm sure that all the cases we have here are just the tip of the iceberg.
“There are many more who continue to suffer because they were unable to escape,” he said.
Susapto said Malaysia received the most complaints for being terrible employers compared with countries like Taiwan, Hong Kong or Singapore. "
No more small talk, arrest and hold them till the case is done
Is it any wonder Malaysians have nothing to say about this. I am absolutely horrified to learn of this state of affairs and Malaysian attitude towards the maids. I have seen maids being provided rooms, if they are lucky enough to have one, with no windows and ventilation. I was shocked to view a few houses in such state, when looking for a home to buy.
No human should be treated in such manner, by another.When one is employed one pays for their skills and time and ability to do a task. Their dignity, respect, honour, body and mental well being are not part of the payment.They are areas to be respected by another individual.
I feel so sad that Malaysian society has been lowered itself so much, and have lost the respect for another individual, simply because they think they pay their wages, they own them, and can abuse them to one heart's delight.Very wrong thinking. Disgusting ....is all I can think...to treat another human being in such a manner.
I know of a family who have come back from abroad, do NOT employ a maid when they can ..as they feel...that they cannot condone the manner maids are treated in Malaysia, and do not wish to be part of the evil culture that mistreats people...Submitted by GS Dhaliwal on Saturday, June 13th, 2009other countries, domestic workers get better wages and are treated better.”
Indonesia may suspend sending domestic maids to M’sia
on Friday, June 19, 2009Dear Clients, friends and Guess, Salam to all,
This came in the news today...Time and again I've been giving advise to clients, if you have good and trusworthy maids, be thankful for what you have. Giving some small incentive or salary increase is nothing compared to having to hire a new one. For those who don't, please do not abuse your maids for whatever reason it may be...others will suffer (me included) if the Indonesian Govt resorted to the decision below. Please have a heart....
Wasalam
*WSC*
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JAKARTA: Indonesia may temporarily stop sending domestic helpers to Malaysia after an Indonesian maid was recently reported to have been tortured, Indonesia's Antara news agency reported.
"We will likely stop it (dispatch of domestic helpers) temporarily. But we will first invite relevant ministers and parties to a meeting on June 23 to make a preliminary evaluation," Antara quoted Manpower and Transmigration Minister Erman Suparno as saying here on Thursday.
Among those to be invited to the meeting were the state minister for women's empowerment, the foreign minister, the law and human rights minister, the home affairs minister, the national police chief and the Indonesian ambassador to Malaysia as well as Malaysian representatives, he said.
As the decision to be taken at the meeting would have a systemic impact, his ministry could not decide on the dispatch of domestic helpers on its own without the input from other parties, he said. "But I want it (the dispatch of domestic helpers) stopped until there is a response from the Malaysian government on protection of Indonesian migrant workers there," he said.
The plan to temporarily stop the dispatch of domestic helpers was the government's response to a myriad of problems being faced by Indonesian workers in Malaysia.
One of the latest of such problems arose from an incident befalling domestic helper Siti Hajar who came from Limbangan, Garut, West Java.
Suparno had earlier said delegations from the two countries were scheduled to hold talks on July 15 to discuss various problems facing Indonesian migrant workers in Malaysia.
At the meeting, the Indonesian delegation would propose reviewing several clauses in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in the manpower field both sides signed early this year. The clauses, among others, relate to protection of Indonesian migrant workers and their rights as well as improvement of their salaries.
"If no agreement on the protection of Indonesian migrant workers is reached, we will consider putting a temporary stop to the dispatch of domestic helpers," the minister said.
He said he discussed the protection of migrant workers with Malaysian Minister of Human Resources Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam early this month when they attended the 98th International Labour Conference in Geneva. - Bernama
Persyaratan membuat perjanjian kerja bagi TKI yang mengganti paspor
on Saturday, March 21, 2009Dear Valued Clients, Friends and Guests, Salam to all,
The article below is self-explanatory. It is extracted from here. For better understanding :
Asuransi = Insurance
Maret = March
TKI = Tenaga Kerja Indonesia
KBRI = Kedutaan Besar Republik Indonesia
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Berita KBRI - 29/01/2009
Persyaratan membuat perjanjian kerja bagi TKI yang mengganti paspor
Perjanjian kerja (employment contract) merupakan dokumen penting untuk melindungi hak-hak pekerja. Jika terjadi perselisihan hubungan kerja antara pekerja dan majikan maka perjanjian kerja (PK) menjadi rujukan untuk penyelesaian masalah.
Sesuai dengan ketentuan UU 39 tahun 2004 tentang penempatan dan perlindungan TKI di luar negeri, setiap TKI di luar negeri wajib menandatangani PK. Isi PK antara lain mengatur hak dan kewajiban TKI serta majikan, kondisi dan syarat kerja (upah,fasilitas/tunjangan, jam kerja), serta jangka waktu kontrak.
TKI yang akan memperpanjang kontrak juga diwajibkan menandatangani PK baru dengan majikannya yang diendors oleh KBRI/KJRI.
Disamping menandatangani PK, setiap majikan di Malaysia juga wajib mengasuransikan TKI sesuai dengan skim pampasan pekerja (workmen compensation) 1955.
Di lapangan, ketentuan pembuatan PK dan pengasuransian TKI ini masih perlu dikontrol pelaksanaannya. Jika tidak, hal itu akan merugikan TKI karena bisa terjadi TKI memperpanjang kontrak tanpa dilindungi dengan PK dan asuransi.
Guna mencegah resiko seperti itu, KBRI Kuala Lumpur mulai mempersyaratkan setiap TKI dan majikan yang akan memperpanjang kontrak, wajib menandatangani PK perpanjangan dan mengasuransikan TKI. Persyaratan itu dikenakan pada saat TKI memproses penggantian paspor di KBRI. Seperti diketahui, paspor TKI berlaku 3 tahun sehingga jika TKI memperpanjang kontrak maka ia perlu memperbaharui dan mengganti paspor.
Saat ini, KBRI sedang mengsosialisasikan ketentuan yang akan berlaku 2 Maret 2009 tersebut kepada semua majikan dan agensi pekerjaan. KBRI juga menyiapkan formulir PK standard bagi TKI dan majikan yang belum memiliki. TKI dan majikan sekaligus dapat menandatangani PK di KBRI.
Assalamualaikum
Dear valued Clients, Friends and Guest,
I have recalled my last posting on the latest cost breakdown for new housemaid due to its invalidity. Here's the cost breakdown again with some adjustment. For better view, please click here.
Below are the significant changes :
- Housemaid basic salary has officially been marked at minimum of RM500 regardless of the job scope. This has been made known to the maid during PAP (Persediaan Akhir Penerbangan) by DEPNAKER.
- Salary deduction has been reduce from 5 months to 3 months. The salary deduction is based on RM450 / month. The balance RM50 to be given to the maid for the first 3 months. The total payment to WSC remain RM5,250. I have been made to understand that Indonesia Govt will send delegates to Malaysia to discuss on possibilities of waiving salary deduction in future.
- Recruitment charges has been increased to RM3900 since the charges imposed by Indonesian Agent has increased to RM4500/ biodata. Our supplier is a licensed agency in Indonesia. We do not recruit housemaids from freelance agents or direct from sponsors.
Please email me at lehadwin@gmail.com should there be any confusion or need further clarification. Comments and constructive ideas are welcome.
wasalam
WSC
Assalamualaikum....sorry for my long "disappearance" from cyber space...managed to juggle a full-time job, a part time biz and a home-maker That answers why the long silence. Now I am back.
More updates coming up..
