MALAYSIA is expected to sign the memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the recruitment of Indonesian domestic workers next month, Human Resources Minister M. Saravanan said.

He said the date for the signing of the MOU will be decided by the Indonesian government soon.

“Actually, we had hoped the MOU would be signed in early February but it has to be postponed because the condition was not suitable.

“As the MOU will be signed in Indonesia, I hope they (Indonesian government) will set the date, hopefully in March,” he told reporters after participating in a special integrated enforcement operation under the Labour Laws and the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 in Seremban today. 

Two days ago, Saravanan was reported to have said that the signing of the MOU would benefit both countries, especially the Indonesian domestic workers who need jobs and local employers who need the service of housemaids.

In the meantime, he said, he would also go to Cambodia soon to discuss the recruitment of workers, including housemaids from there, since Malaysia could not depend on one source country only.

“We don’t know yet (on the number of workers to be recruited), as we have just received a directive from the prime minister. He told me to discuss with Cambodia,” he said.

Saravanan said to date, there are 1,054 Cambodian workers in the country with 1,003 being housemaids.

He stressed that there is no discrimination against foreign workers as they also receive the same facilities as local workers. – Bernama, February 25, 2022.