Malaysia - Hell On Earth For Foreign Maids

Skilled foreign domestic workers looking for jobs shun Malaysia because they fear being abused and are put off by low salaries, a top official said Wednesday, reports Channel Newsasia.

Foreign maids also disliked working for Malaysians because they were often given chores unrelated to housework, the Home Ministry's parliamentary secretary Abdul Rahman Ibrahim said, according to the state Bernama news agency.

"Besides unsuitable working conditions, media reports about foreign maid abuses also has a strong impact, which causes foreigners to fear coming to Malaysia," Abdul Rahman said in parliament.

He said the government had taken steps to address the issue by creating a hot line for complaints at its immigration headquarters, but admitted that so far it had been used mainly by employers to air gripes about maids.

More than 4,000 errant employers have been blacklisted since January 2006, while the licences of 19 labour agencies have been revoked by the government, he added.

Abdul Rahman said if Malaysian employers wanted better quality maids, then they should be prepared to offer higher wages, on a par with other countries, and pay their maids on time.

Malaysia depends heavily on foreign maids but they have little protection under labour laws. They often live with their employers and work long hours under tough conditions to earn around 130 dollars a month.

An Indonesian maid, Ceriyati Dapin, 33, recently made headlines after she lowered herself from a 15th storey apartment to escape from her employer, who had allegedly beaten her and threatened her life. Malaysian police arrested her boss, a 35-year-old woman who faces charges of wrongful confinement and causing injury with a dangerous weapon.

The Indonesian embassy in Malaysia has said more than 1,000 abused or unpaid Indonesian workers seek refuge there every year. Most of them worked as maids.

***** An account like the above sends the wrong message about Malaysia. Yesterday for example a maid was found hanged in Alor Star. Although the cops said there was no foul play, the tragic incident is still open to speculation.

Are we growing into a nation of unconscionable bullies? How many of our 'peaceable' citizens are actually browbeating wolves in pious sheep's clothing, ever ready to humiliate and torture defenceless women and girls from foreign lands?

Whenever the issue of maid abuse comes up, the reflex defence by some is that the maids themselves are hopeless, lazy etc etc. As if that is a passport for intimidation and worse! The only way to prevent this sort of modern-day slavery is to mete out the harshest punishment to the perpetrators, no matter who they are. Merely imposing a fine is no help. Jail the bastards, male or female. No more Nirmala Bonats please.
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