Many decry exorbitant fees for Indonesian maids

GEORGE TOWN: Many people here will not hire Indonesian domestic workers if they have to pay exorbitant fees to bring them into the country.

A schoolteacher, who wanted to be known only as Latifah, said she would stop hiring Indonesian maids if she has to pay a few thousands ringgit more for their services.

“My maid’s working permit is expiring soon. Guess I’ll have to do away with the maid for now as it’s pricey to secure their services.

“I have to use hourly maid services to do house chores. My problem now is to get someone to look after my elderly mother when my husband and I are working.

“I hope the governments of both countries would look into this and find the best solution,” she said.

Old folks home caretaker Koay Chee Kean said the cost to recruit Indonesian maids is exorbitantly high and not consumer-friendly to average people like him.

“It is too pricey and does not make any sense at all. Why does it have to be so expensive?

“The government has to find ways to lower the cost and not to burden the people during this period of time,” he said.

Koay said there were several Indonesian maids taking care of the elderly in his centre.

“It is very hard to get locals to work at old folks homes. Only Indonesian maids are willing to do the job,” he said.

Hameediyah Restaurant director Muhammad Riyaaz Syed Ibrahim said he had no plans to hire Indonesian maids for now.

“Looking at the new cost to recruit an Indonesian maid, I would say it is too expensive and I can’t afford to pay that much.

“The government should consider lowering the fees to make it affordable,” said Riyaaz, who had stopped the services of his Indonesian and Filipino maids at home several months ago.

Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) president Mohideen Abdul Kader said the recruitment fees to hire Indonesian maids were extremely high.

“This could lead to illegal entry into the country since it’ll cost a bomb to bring them in legally.

“There is no basis for charging this high fee,” he said.