KOTA KINABALU: Domestic helpers, who complete their four-month course with the Human Resource Development Department, will take home a starting salary of RM800 a month and with at least one off day in a week.
Resource Development and Information Technology Minister Datuk Siringan Gubat, who disclosed this when presenting course completion certificates to 25 newly graduated domestic helpers, said the demand for domestic helpers had been increasing not only in Sabah but also in Peninsular Malaysia and Brunei.
“The next course will start early next month, and we are keeping to the number of 25 participants only, to ensure the relevant department will have time to train them in four months.
“All 25 women from the previous batch are currently working with local families, while some trainees from this batch have been booked by the consulate office of Malaysia in Brunei. There are also a number of bookings from Peninsular Malaysia.
“With all the demand we are receiving from our local people and also from beyond Sabah, I am sure this career will be another platform for our locals to find jobs instead of just waiting for job offers and not doing anything,” he said.
All the trainees were given three months of in-house and one-month on-the-job training conducted by the department.
They will also be monitored by the ministry’s special committee, protected under the Sabah Labour Ordinance and working under the Minimum Wage Policy.
One of trainees, who received her certificate yesterday, said she was very lucky to be chosen to do the course.
Vellnah Dulasim, 21, from Ranau, said the four-month training gave her the opportunity to look after a house and family with children, and she also learned how to cook healthy food.
“The most important experience that I really appreciate from this training is how to look after disabled children and how to prepare their food.
“Looking after special kids was something new to me and I really appreciate that particular precious experience. I hope more women will take the opportunity because the job demand is very big,” she said.