Waiting to be placed: Maids who have been waiting to come to Malaysia to work have gone instead to other countries like Singapore and Hong Kong due to the border closure.
PETALING JAYA: Maid agencies have applied to bring in new foreign maids since the government’s announcement allowing for new hires but so far no response has been received.
The National Association of Human Resources Malaysia (Pusma) president Zarina Ismail said many of its members have applied to get new domestic helpers through the Foreign Workers Centralised Management System (FWCMS) but no approval had been given.
“We have yet to receive any official directive or proper response on this, ” she said when contacted yesterday.
On the job training: A domestic helper doing chores at her agency’s office before being assigned to work in a home. RAJA FAISAL HISHAN/The Star
PETALING JAYA: The number of Covid-19 cases is declining, movement restrictions are being eased and more business activities are resuming.
But the hiring of foreign domestic helpers is still on the backburner from last year when the contagion first became widespread.
With no clear indication of when borders will reopen, agencies involved in bringing in maids are seeking the green light to resume recruitment since many households need help.
It is timely for the government to immediately reopen the domestic worker sector as many families are struggling to cope, especially those with members who work full time and who have elderly parents to care for, said Association of Employment Agencies (Papa) president Datuk Foo Yong Hooi.