I am writing this in light of the recent newspaper reports stating that the Indonesian Govt is not willing to let their citizens work as maids in Malaysia. This is because of the increase in maid abuse cases by Malaysian employers. They are starting to demand that if the next batch are needed to come in, we will need give them many more benefits that they already enjoy, like one day off, allow them to carry their own passports and an increase in salary.
I do admit that the Indonesian maids are being paid a lot less than if they went to Hong Kong, the Middle East or Singapore. I know for a fact that they aren't allowed elsewhere since Filipino maids are much more in demand elsewhere.
Now, anyone who has hired an Indonesian maid will understand why we are paying lower and why we keep the passports from them and why they don't have a day off. What irks me is how come we are not highlighting the fact that these maids are largely inept, lazy and are dick-crazy!
There have been many cases that have not gone reported of maids abusing the children or old people under their care. Why? It's because we are generally nice people. There were also disturbances at the Malaysian Embassy in Jakarta by a group called Bendera (why would they name themselves "flag" is beyond me) who asked for Malaysian companies to leave Indonesia and for Indonesians to come back. Yeah, come back to what? Poverty?
Just for the record, we are not that hot about them being here either. They enter illegally and are sheltered by our generosity and we get it thrown back in our faces. If they want to demand, we want to impose a few demands of our own:-
1. Learn the language - We don't speak Indonesian and in case you thought we have the same language, think again.
2. Be trained for ALL basic domestic housework - We have maids who have never seen a flush toilet. Learn how to use an iron and understand the concept of the bleach so that my 200 dollar blue shirt doesn't look like it's have a Michael Jackson syndrome.
3. Learn to cook - at least be useful around the kitchen and not use the soya sauce as cooking oil!
4. Stay away from the guys - It's simple. You are here for 2 years and you are going home. There is no future with whatever guy you think you want to be with and these Indonesian blue collars are not in love with you. They are just looking for a convenient lay. Anything with a pulse will do. When you are at the airport going home, you can screw in the latrine for all I care.
5. Don't steal - Maybe from where they came from, stealing is a rule you can bend. Pls train your people that it may be ok to do so in their own country but not in mine.
6. BE diligent - It's a hard life from where you came from. Compared to that, 99% of your employers are God sent. You are fed, clothed and given luxury. Work diligently and do what you are supposed to do.
7. Stop lying! - You are not good liars and still you are lying. On top of that you think we are stupid enough not to figure it out. Maybe your culture tolerates it but pls educate your people that lying and lying stupidly at that is a very bad character flaw.
8. Be grateful - We have the same culture, same food, same religious tolerance and 50% similar language as Indonesia. In the Middle East women have no rights, let alone a foreign domestic maid (yeah I said it1), food is not kosher and you have to learn a new language pretty quick, or you are out of there. The expectations are higher and people are not forgiving.
This is what I can think of in short notice. If you have any ideas you want to share, drop me a line! Let;s hope the alternatives from Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand won't give us a social headache.
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