Indonesia to stop sending live-in maids next year
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Bangkok - Indonesia announced that it will stop sending live-in maids abroad as early as next year in a bid to ensure better working conditions for its legion of citizens working as domestic help in the Middle East, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and othe
By living separately from their employers, the maids will have regular working hours, day offs and public holidays. Those who are currently under employment, meanwhile, will be allowed to continue and extend their contracts later, says a report from Sin Chew Daily.
The Straits Times quotes Soes Hindharno, Indonesian Ministry of Manpower's director for the protection and placement of Indonesian migrant workers abroad, as saying that employers will in turn get "better-quality" workers well trained in childcare and elderly care.
The Straits Times notes that the move is part of Indonesian President Joko Widodo's plan to professionalise informal employment. Indonesia is the biggest source country for maid in Singapore, with around 125,000 working there. However, the number of registered Indonesian maids working in Malaysia has dwindled over the years with 50,000 Indonesians out of the total 200,000, says a report from The Star.
Sin Chew Daily notes that the ban will affect many households as there are not only higher income families but also middle income families relying on Indonesian maids.
