KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia said yesterday it could not accept an Indonesian proposal on a minimum wage for its maids amid delays on a working conditions deal following a series of shocking abuse cases.
Both countries have been working on a deal for maids after a flood of complaints of mistreatment of domestic workers strained ties between Malaysia and Indonesia, leading Jakarta last June to ban maids from working there.
Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S Subramaniam told AFP his country would not agree to an Indonesian minimum wage plan of RM800 a month for maids who are currently paid between RM300 and RM400 monthly.
“The proposal is unacceptable as Malaysia does not have a minimum wage structure and we feel that wages should be based on market forces,” he said.
“It is unfair to set a minimum wage for domestic workers from Indonesia if it is not done across the board for other industries also,” he added.
“If the maids have attended courses and have more skills, they can definitely demand a greater salary but we will not set a minimum salary.”
Subramaniam said talks were ongoing between the two governments despite delays in reaching an agreement that was supposed to have been inked last month.
“The talks are still ongoing and both sides will have to make counter-proposals before any agreement is reached,” he said.
“We will come out with a deal as soon as we can reach an agreement on the outstanding issues.”
In May, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said both sides still had to agree on a minimum wage after talks with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
The two countries previously signed an agreement that would give maids one day off a week and ensure they can keep their passports while in service. — Bernama