BANDUNG (May 31, 2011): The signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta ended a two-year freeze on Indonesian maids working in Malaysia, thus paving the way for their arrival in two weeks. Both countries agreed that the salary be determined by market forces but Indonesia requested that such wages not be lower than the minimum wage in Indonesia.
The wages for domestic maids in Indonesia range from Rp600,000 (RM212) to Rp1.2mil (RM424).
Also, the MoU set the initial fees employers have to pay at RM4,511. MoU also stated that maids be given one rest day in a week or one-and-a-half day's wage if they opt to give up the rest day and work instead.
Under the new MoU, employers have to be given a replacement maid or the agency fees refunded if the maid runs away, is found to be incompetent or does not meet health requirements. - Bernama