Insurance Coverage For Maids - Another Scam To Milk Millions From The Public?

Discussions have yet to begin with Takaful Malaysia over plans for a consortium of companies to provide insurance coverage for foreign maids.

Deputy Home Affairs Minister Datuk Tan Chai Ho said Takaful’s representatives had notified officers of his ministry of the plans but that was as far as the idea has progressed. He said, however, the ministry was all for having insurance coverage for foreign maids.

"Yes, we are aware of the plans. But we have not had any discussion with Takaful yet," he said after presenting donations to 150 senior citizens at the Jalan Ikan Emas wet market in Cheras. "As for the premiums, that falls under the purview of the Finance Ministry and Bank Negara. My ministry has nothing to do with it."

Tan was asked to comment on a Berita Harian front page report yesterday which stated that Takaful Malaysia was in discussions with the ministry.

The report also stated that the premiums would come to RM95 per year.

Employers who have taken out insurance for their foreign maids currently pay premiums of between RM30 and RM33 per year.

Asked if it would be made compulsory for foreign maids to have insurance coverage, Tan said it was a possibility.

"Right now, it is not compulsory. Should the plan by Takaful be approved, then may be we will make it compulsory. (NST)

***** Great! At present employers are paying between RM30 and RM33 per year, but when Takaful get their paws into the picture, hey presto! the coverage will be compulsory and the premiums will go up to RM95 per year. Semuanya OK!

By the way is that idiot, Fauzi Mustaffar who issued the Takaful fatwa still around or has he been given the sack or transferred to the Middle East regional office?

What is the big idea of making the coverage compulsory but allowing one company to monopolize the market? Has our government not learnt any lessons from the many goof-ups and debacles in the past? How long are they going to persist in this mode of handing out super goodies on a silver platter to a few chosen ones at the expense of the citizens who voted them in?

I say make the insurance coverage for maids compulsory but leave it the employers to select the company they wish to deal with rather than the 'consortium of companies' which Takaful is representing. What say you?
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