THE Human Resources Ministry may improve existing employment laws to better protect maids, said M. Kulasegaran.

The minister said currently the Employment Act had provision to provide some protection for maids but the ministry was mulling the possibility of creating an act just on maid employment.

“As an immediate measure, we are looking at adding new clauses to strengthen the Employment Act and provide better protection for the maid.

“Later we’ll create a standalone act just to cover the employment of maids,” he said at a media briefing in Putrajaya today. 

Kulasegaran was responding to lawmakers and civil society groups calling for better laws to protect migrant workers after M.A.S. Ambika was acquitted of allegedly murdering her 26-year-old Indonesian maid Adelina Lisao.

Ambika was facing the mandatory death penalty under Section 302 of the Penal Code for the murder of Adelina in February last year. 

Kulasegaran said that there will be specific regulations on the maids their duties and functions. 

“The regulations are in the interim until we get a new act by itself to govern this area,” he said.

He said this will be a collaboration with the Home Ministry as well as other agencies. 

Ambika is reported to have been granted a full acquittal after the prosecution asked for a discharge not amounting to an acquittal.

Adelina died at the Bukit Mertajam Hospital on February 11 last year, a day after she was sent to the hospital. – April 23, 2019.