Thursday, July 12, 2007

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than 4,000 errant employers have been blacklisted since January 2006, while the licences of 19 labour agencies have been revoked by the government, he added.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

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4 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

"An account like the above sends the wrong message about Malaysia."
Dear MALAYSIAN, it is not a wrong message, but a true image here in Malaysia.

"Are we growing into a nation of unconscionable bullies?"
Yes, recently a Korean student was killed by a road bully. There are many bullies out there, school bullies etc.. you name it. The punishment by law is not severe enough & there is no deterant to these bullies.

Malaysia is very sick. In addition to the above bullies, criminal cases like snatch theft, murders, rapes etc are escalating. May be, just may be, the safest place to live is in those small border towns like Grik??

12:25 PM GMT+8  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Everybody deserve what they get now. You deserve the government you elected in 2004. You deserve the errant maid you employed. And the maid also deserve the hellish country they came here for. And there is natural justice. The only natural justice will come soon..on those who made millions by bringing them in. And lastly, not only maids, all Malaysians are also in a hellish scenario now.

5:43 PM GMT+8  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

It's not only happening to Indonesian maids. What about those Indian nationals who come to Bolehland seeking good fortune only to be tortured, starved, made to work extra long hours and only paid pittance?

Anyways, anyone knows what happened to those 5 Bangladeshi workers reported missing after they came out in the open about their employers mistreating them & their fellow countrymen?

God! What's happening to this country?

8:10 PM GMT+8  
Blogger Qays Layla said...

whats happening indeed... there is no security for locals, let alone foreigners. but i do pity those foreigners. Our people promise them the sky if they work here or live here (I really cringe whenever i read about malaysia my second home plan. seriously if you are that rich to be able to relocate to anywhere, go live in other countries. say, vietnam? i heard even indonesia is better. at least as long as you tip, they will work for you. here, service is really bad. fyi, many arabs who come here to "invest" have moved on to cambodia or china. this is really sad) many foreigners who come here whether just as cleaners or maids or those who come here to stay for good in hope of doing business here have voiced dissappointments. They say no security, too much bereaucracy and promises, etc etc. If they know they wouldnt have left everything and come here to "invest" in business. I'm embarressed and more so frustrated. what is happening to our country indeed! something is really not right..

4:14 PM GMT+8  

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