GEORGE TOWN: The cost of getting a maid in Malaysia is “absurdly high” and is among the highest in the world, says Penang-based job agency owner Chris CT Chan.

       “The current cost to get a maid for prospective employers is about RM20,000 but with the quarantine and Covid-19 prevention costs, it can go higher,” said Chan who has been running his agency for more than 25 years.

       The quarantine cost for each incoming maid could be as high as RM3,000 and the recruitment fee can go to about RM25,000.

       Commenting on the recent Memorandum of Understanding between Indonesia and Malaysia on maid recruitment, Chan said he understands that Indonesia wants to protect its citizens who come here to work as maids, which is acceptable.

       He, however, felt it was unfair for Malaysian families to fork out a large sum of money as a recruitment fee to get a maid.

       Tan urged the government to take into account the hidden costs and quarantine issues for Indonesian maids, and make clear the costs to potential employers.

       On the RM1,500 basic salary requirement for Indonesian maids, Tan said that should depend on the maid’s skill level and experience.

       “Prospective employers don’t mind paying a good maid a high salary as long as they are provided a quality maid,” he said.

       The Indonesian government earlier requested Putrajaya to set a minimum wage for its citizens working here at RM1,500 per month, but Malaysia’s minimum wage is RM1,200 a month.

       Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan had reportedly said he agreed to the salary starting at RM1,200, but if an employer was willing to pay RM1,500 a month, the government has no objections.

       Businessman Jasper Ooi, 34, who plans to employ a maid to care for his two daughters aged eight months and three years, said the RM1,500 minimum salary is reasonable given the cost of living today.

       He said Malaysians must change their mentality and accept the required income of maids.

       However, Ooi felt that the fee to bring in domestic helpers is too high and should be reduced.

       “It is too expensive and the government should revise it and reduce the fee,” he said.

       Cleaning services operator Baby Goh shared the same sentiment, saying the RM25,000 and above fee is totally unnecessary.

       She said she is not willing to fork out that much money to hire a maid.

       She urged the Malaysian and Indonesian governments to find a way to lower the recruitment cost for prospective employers.

       “It is now expensive because of the Covid-19 quarantine and prevention costs,” she said.

       “The two governments should find a mechanism to lower other costs and ease the application in the future. The previous cost was already high, and with the new cost, it will surely burden prospective employers,” she added.

       Goh said any unnecessary costs should be avoided as many Malaysians are in need of maids, especially to take care of the elderly.

       She said many families here preferred not to send their ageing parents to nursing homes.

       “Many of them want to hire maids from Indonesia.

       “In the long run, getting a maid is still cheaper than using the service of a nursing home to take care of the elderly or to hire caregivers,” she added.