MyEG: Bosses stand to gain the most

PETALING JAYA: MyEG Services Berhad has assured employers of domestic maids that they stand to gain the most by renewing work permits online.

A spokesman for the company told The Star that critics of the policy and MyEG’s RM38 fee were mostly maid agencies guarding their turf.

“Why are the maid agencies against us? They view our service as significantly undercutting them as their current service fees to help employers with renewals range between RM100 and RM200,” said the spokesman.

He said employers would save more money with MyEG, citing the charges for renewal of permits of Cambodian maids (levies differ for different nationalities), as an example.

Employers of Cambodian maids currently pay a levy of RM410, RM60 for a visit pass, a RM125 processing fee and RM20 for a visa, in addition to MyEG’s RM38 fee.

“It amounts to RM653 and these are the only fees that are compulsory,” he said, adding that the transaction could be completed without the employer having to leave home.

In contrast, he said the total charges imposed by agents varied by between RM800 and RM1,000.

“Employers will also need to make two trips to the agency to apply for the renewal of permit and to collect the maid’s passport,” the spokesman said.

He said employers who opted to do the renewals themselves at Immigration counters previously paid RM615 or a saving of RM38.

As for maids who were required to undergo medical examination with the foreign workers medical screening agency (Fomema), he said MyEG was not involved in the process.

“But employers who want MyEG to make appointments with Fomema will be charged RM20. This is optional and not profit-making but we offer it as a convenience so that users can do everything using their laptops,” he said.

The spokesman said allegations that employers would have to buy insurance from MyEG for their workers were baseless.

“Anyone can see from our website that purchasing insurance from us is voluntary or optional,” he said.

Malaysian National Association of Employment Agencies (Pikap) president Datuk Raja Zulkepley Dahalan said the debate on MyEG had been revolving around ringgit and sen instead of how it would impact the maids.

“They are human beings but no one is asking if the move will improve their welfare,” he said.

Raja Zulkepley stressed that the role of maid agencies did not stop with only bringing them in.

“We are the ones who step in when maids are exploited or are not paid,” he said.

Raja Zulkepley said MyEG and the Government should hold a dialogue on the issue.

Related story:

Lack of computer literacy seems to be a stumbling block