Kuala Lumpur : The proposed minimum wage of RM1,200 for Indonesian maids working in the country is unacceptable, as Malaysians are still working for less.

Malaysian Maid Employers Association president Engku Ahmad Fauzi Engku Muhsein said the suggested salary hike was about 70 percent more than what local domestic workers made, and that Indonesian maids' current monthly wage of between RM700 and RM800 was their gross pay.

"Most Indonesian domestic helpers here are live-in workers, hence, they do not pay for accommodation, food, electricity and water, as compared with some Malaysians earning RM800 or RM900 a month and have bills to pay. The salary increment does not   guarantee better work quality from unskilled workers. Therefore, the raise cannot be justified.

"Engku Fauzi said employers were paying close to RM10,000 to secure an Indonesian maid. Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (FOMCA) president Datuk Dr Marimuthu Nadason said the government should look into alternatives in sourcing maids.

"There is a high demand for Indonesian maids, but they (Indonesia) cannot keep demanding. At the moment, we can look into the possibility of employing displaced Rohingyas as maids. The government has to train them, so that they are equipped with the skills needed to work as maids."

He said while the proposal to increase the minimum salary of domestic workers could be discussed further, it was unfair for Malaysians. to earn a lower minimum wage than foreigners.

"The government needs to look at  its own people, too. If the government raises the minimum wage to RM1,200 per month, then, I don't see why we can't implement the same measure for foreign maids."

Indonesia has submitted a proposal to the Human Resources Ministry  to consider giving Indonesian maids a pay rise to boost working conditions in Malaysia.

The Indonesian embassy's deputy of mission, Hermono, told Bernama that the proposed wage of RM1,200 was to ensure a competitive salary.

Profesor Datuk Dr. Marimuthu Nadason

President