PUTRAJAYA: One thousand Cambodians would be sent to Malaysia every month to work as housemaids to meet demand, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
"They will be sent here once the memorandum of understanding between the Malaysian government and Cambodia is finalised and signed in a few months' time," he said.
He said Malaysia had looked to Cambodia after facing hitches in recruiting maids from Indonesia.
"Presently there are about 30,000 Cambodians working in Malaysia mainly as housemaids," he told reporters after receiving a courtesy call from Minister in the Cambodian Prime Minister's Department, Oknha Othman Hassan, at his office here.
The Cambodian government had also agreed to set up a training centre where the housemaids could learn Malaysia's language, culture and work ethics prior to coming here.
Meanwhile, Ahmad Zahid said Malaysia was prepared to assist the Cambodian government, which only has three immigration offices, to improve their management and passport issuance system.
"We will assist them in the form of 'training for the trainers' programmes for their senior officers who would be based at our Immigration department to learn about our international passport system," he said.
He said the Malaysian government had also offered to provide training particularly in combating crime to Cambodian senior and middle rank police officers.
Following his last visit to the country, Ahmad Zahid proposed a US$1 million microcredit capital to help its low income and hardcore poor community.
"But before the assistance is channeled through the Al-Bukhary Foundation, 10 recipients of this assistance would have to come to Malaysia for training," he said.
He said the training would be done with the cooperation of Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia and Tekun. - Bernama
