INDONESIAN maids already working in Malaysia will be eligible for the RM1,500 minimum wage once their contracts are renewed, said Indonesian Ambassador to Malaysia Hermono.

He said the minimum wage stipulated under the memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the recruitment and protection of Indonesian maids is not limited to only new hires.

“New maids will be paid RM1,500. But Indonesian maids currently employed in Malaysia will also be paid the minimum wage when they renew their contracts,” he was quoted as saying by Free Malaysia Today.

He said the Immigration Department will issue a work permit only after the new employment contract is approved by the Indonesian embassy.

Indonesian maids are currently paid a monthly salary of between RM900 and RM1,200.

The MOU, signed on April 1, stipulates that Indonesian maids must receive a minimum monthly salary of RM1,500.

Malaysian Maid Employers Association president Engku Ahmad Fauzi Engku Muhsein said both countries should look at allowing Indonesian domestic helpers to work part-time to help prospective employers save on cost.

He told The Malaysian Insight that the countries can use Grab’s business model as an example, adding that the RM15,000 fee to acquire a foreign helper is too high.

The MOU caps the cost of bringing in maids at RM15,000 (to be reviewed every three months), and includes contributing to the Social Security Organisation and paying salary through bank transfer before the 7th of every month.

It also states that one maid will serve a maximum six-person household and that maids must attend induction courses to educate them on their rights and how to avoid exploitation. – May 21, 2022.