Utusan: Indonesian maids spend time watching TV
By Yow Hong Chieh, The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, June 1 — Indonesian maids whiled away their days watching television or chatting with their friends, and should therefore not be given weekly rest days, Utusan Malaysia has suggested.
In an editorial today, the daily pointed out that fixed leave, set out in the revised memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Malaysia and Indonesia, would mean employers will be forced to give up rest on weekends just so maids could take a break.
“Those involved in crafting the MoU surely did not take into account the spare time maids spend with their ‘colleagues’ in the afternoon,” according to an editorial today.
“Neither did it consider the hours spent by them watching all sorts of tele-novelas on this television station or that, while employers are at work and the children in school or tuition class.”
Utusan added that it was “very concerned” the fixed leave may end up putting more pressure on Malaysian employers despite arguments that it is only fair for maids to get at least one day off weekly.
