KUALA LUMPUR: A maid is not a slave and should not be treated as such. That is the sentiment of registered maid agencies, that want the authorities to act against individuals who exploit and overwork their maids.
M. Karmegan, who has been in the maid agency business for almost a decade, was commenting on a Facebook page called Runaway Maid, which has 14,400 members who post pictures of their runaway maids and share their experience of such incidents.
He revealed that those who were treated very well were also among those who have run away.
“There are many reasons for this. The most common being the maids were hired through unregistered agencies and working illegally in Malaysia. Many employers also exploit their maids by sending them to work in their parent’s house and even at a food stall or shop.
“This is wrong. Such maids are overworked and exhausted. But because they are usually illegally employed, they have little recourse but to run away once they cannot take the workload any further.”
Karmegan also said it is common knowledge among maid agencies that there are syndicates among illegal agencies that “recycle” maids by having them run away after a certain period.
“These syndicates will fetch the runaway maids and assign them to another unsuspecting employer. So, although illegal agents may charge lower fees, they make more money through their
illegal operations.”
He said potential employers prefer to hire maids from illegal agents as they usually have ready maids without a permit and they bring them into the country as tourists, adding that the illegal agents could charge much less since they do not have any overheads.
“However, licensed agencies are at risk of being suspended if they get involved in illegal practices or if employers complain to the authorities. All licensed agents are registered with the Manpower Department, which issues the licence.”
Karmegan, who supplies maids from Indonesia, the Philippines and Sri Lanka, said to qualify to hire a maid, a potential employer must have a minimum monthly household salary of RM7,000.
“Due to a government-to-government agreement, agency fees to hire an Indonesian maid are fixed at RM15,000. Agency fees for other nationals depend on market rates and differ from agency
to agency.”
He said Indonesian and Sri Lankan maids are paid RM1,500, while those from the Philippines are paid RM1,800. All maids are eligible for four days off in a month, or an extra day’s pay if they are required to work on their off days.
On allegations that employers deduct agency fees from the maid’s salary each month, Karmegan said it is illegal and registered agencies do not allow such a practice.
“Agency fees are to be paid by the employer and not by the maids, who have to earn their full salaries from the first month.”
He said registered maid agencies must have an agreement or tie-up with an agency in the source country that is endorsed by authorities in both countries.
He added that the agencies in the source country and Malaysia must train the maid in at least basic duties.
“Utensils and electrical items may differ from house to house, so maids need some time to get familiar with such items. Employers have to understand this and allow maids a certain familiarisation period, especially if they come from a remote village and have never seen some of the items in the house.
“Some employers expect maids to work like clockwork from the time they step into their house, which is not right.”
