Costly Filipino maids in demand

THE demand for Filipino maids is increasing despite the higher wage employers have to pay for their services.

The minimum wage for Filipino maids is set at US$400 (RM1,228) per month compared with RM600 to RM800 price-range for Indonesians.

Philippine embassy labour attache Alicia Santos said the demand for Filipino maids in Malaysia had increased since 2009.

They were sought after because they were highly trained in doing household chores and conversant in English.

“In 2009, there were 4,000 Filipinos recruited as domestic workers while last year, the number soared to 7,500,” she said.

There were currently 72,000 Philippine citizens working in Malaysia and of that, 70 per cent were working as maids. She said a memorandum of understanding on labour matters between the Philippines and Malaysia had been brought up several years ago, but the issue was still pending.

She was responding to Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam’s suggestion recently that Malaysians could bring in maids from Sri Lanka, India and the Philippines.

The High Commission of Sri Lanka had set a minimum wage of RM850 for its people to work as maids in Malaysia.

Its second secretary (labour) Senarath Yapa said the commission had also seen an increase in demand for its citizens to be employed as domestic helpers.

Documented statistics showed there were 379 Sri Lankans recruited as maids here in 2008, 423 (2009), 645 (2010) and 779 (2011).

Meanwhile, the Indian High Commission’s website stated that employment contracts offering less than RM1,400 in wages for Indian maids would not be endorsed by the commission.

The guidelines also stated that valid documents, including an Indian passport, employment visa from the Malaysian High Commission and an employment contract, were required for India’s citizens to work in Malaysia legally.

Checks with the Laos embassy showed there is an existing memorandum of understanding between Laos and Malaysia on the employment of maids.

Laos ambassador Khamphan Anlavan said it was illegal for their citizens to work as maids in Malaysia.

He said bringing in Laotians to work as maids could only be done if there was a government-to-government agreement.

“Perhaps a meeting can be held for this after Malaysia holds its general election,” he said.

The Thai embassy minister counsellor (labour) Pataraporn Samantarath said Thais were not encouraged to work as maids in Malaysia as there were higher paying jobs in their own country.

“The wage here for maids is low and the work is hard. In Thailand, the minimum wage for domestic workers who care for the elderly is 300 baht (RM30) a day, about 9,000 baht per month.

“We would like our citizens to work in higher skilled jobs.”

There were currently 6,787 Thais working in various sectors here, including factories, construction sites, restaurants and massage parlours.

As for Cambodia’s ban on its citizens from working as maids in Malaysia last October, Cambodian Ambassador Princess Norodom Arunrasmy said both countries were still discussing the issue.

However, there was no sign yet of the ban being lifted.

Read more: Costly Filipino maids in demand – General – New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/nation/general/costly-filipino-maids-in-demand-1.68704#ixzz1qgSQHZyG