Fee to hire maids doubles

REASONABLE COST: Most of memorandum's security provisions to remain in place

MALAYSIANS will most likely have to pay more for Indonesian maids, with the fee expected to cost RM8,000.

This will be almost double the RM4,511 initially agreed upon in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Malaysia and Indonesia in 2011.

However, the salaries of the Indonesian maids would be determined by market prices and the employer instead of falling under the Minimum Wages Act 2012.

Announcing this yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the new fee took into account costs for training, travel documents, food and boarding before the maid was placed with an employer, travel expenses, medical checks and fees for agencies in Indonesia and here.

The revised amount, however, would be negotiated between the two governments before being approved by the Indonesian government.

"Details of the structural costs will be announced by the Human Resources Ministry soon after both countries have both consented to the changes," he said after chairing a cabinet committee meeting on foreign workers and illegal immigrants yesterday.

Muhyiddin noted that the revised costs were still reasonable compared with other countries such as Singapore, Hong Kong and Middle Eastern nations.

He hoped that the decision would expedite the implementation of the MoU to ensure the supply of maids would not be disrupted.

Muhyiddin said most of the memorandum's security provisions would remain in place, such as the six-month maid replacement guarantee period.

He said the salary of Indonesian maids would not be bound by the Minimum Wages Act 2012 and would be based on current market prices and the employer.

Foreign maid agencies had previously objected to the RM4,511 amount agreed upon under the 2011 MoU, claiming it did not match the current costs that had to be borne by the agencies.

Meanwhile, other avenues for Malaysians to hire Indonesian maids on their own via the "journey performed visa" will be abolished soon.

"Previously the Immigration Department had allowed for the JP visa to be issued because of problems in the supply of Indonesian maids based on a case-to-case basis," said Muhyiddin, adding the visa would be discontinued in October.

Asked if the new costs could discourage employers from hiring maids through registered agencies and resort to easier channels, Muhyiddin urged potential employers to abide by the law or risk ending up with problematic maids.

"They must hire maids through the proper channels or all sorts of problems will crop up, especially since the maids hired are not protected by the MoU."

The shortage of maids in the country because of the prolonged deliberation between Malaysia and Indonesia have caused distress for families dependent on maids.

Previously, families were forced to pay up to RM10,000 to secure the services of Indonesian maids.

Haze problem: three ministers discuss to resolve the problem

Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore have discussed ways to reduce the risk of haze, which has affected the three countries in past weeks.

The discussion was conducted in an informal meeting initiated by Malaysia on the sidelines of the 46th Asean Foreign Ministers Meeting in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei, yesterday.

Foreign Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman attended the meeting with his counterparts from Indonesia and Singapore, Dr R.M. Marty M. Natalegawa and K. Shanmugam.

The Asean-Malaysia National Secretariat of the Foreign Affairs Ministry said the three ministers discussed ways to reduce the haze, including the quick ratification and execution of the Asean Transboundary Haze Pollution Agreement.

"The ministers had a frank discussion on the recent problem caused by the haze that affected many parts of Peninsular Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore," it said.

During the meeting, the ministers noted the improving situation in Sumatra, whereby the hot spots had been reduced from 16,500ha to 4,081ha.

They said that as of last week, the number of hot spots had dropped to seven from 261 because of cloud- seeding and water-bombing.

Haze oh haze please go away...:(

Pemuda UMNO Hantar Memorandum Desak Kerajaan Indonesia Tangani Segera Jerebu

Pergerakan Pemuda UMNO Malaysia hari ini telah mengadakan kunjungan hormat ke Kedutaan Indonesia untuk menghantar memorandum bantahan atas masalah jerebu yang melanda negara pada masa ini.

Setiausahanya, Datuk Megat Pirdaouz Tan Sri Megat Jonid berkata, Pemuda telah menemui Akhmad Daya Handasah Irfan, Penasihat Menteri Luar di Kedutaan Indonesia bagi menyampaikan rasa gusar dan keprihatinan di atas masalah jerebu yang melanda negara.

“Pemuda UMNO Malaysia tadi dengan tegas telah menghantar satu memorandum meminta pihak Pemerintah Indonesia supaya mengambil tindakan yang lebih serius terutama sekali dalam penguatkuasaan undang-undang terhadap syarikat-syarikat yang mungkin menyebabkan berlakunya jerebu ini.

“Memang usaha-usaha telah dilakukan oleh pihak pemerintah Indonesia tetapi kami di pihak Pergerakan Pemuda UMNO Malaysia berharap agar mereka benar-benar tegas dalam mengenal pasti siapakah syarikat-syarikat ataupun konsesi-konsesi yang bertanggungjawab sehingga berlakunya fenomena ini, walaupun syarikat itu datangnya dari Malaysia,” ujarnya yang juga Setiausaha Pemuda BN.

Tambahnya, fenomena jerebu ini semacam sudah jadi satu fenomena tahunan.

“Kita bukan mengalami masalah jerebu ini bukan kali pertama, jadi perkara ini harus ditangani bersama untuk kebaikan rakyat di kedua-dua belah negara.

“Pemuda UMNO berharap, demi kesejahteraan, keharmonian dan kesihatan rakyat Malaysia, perkara ini mesti ditangani dengan lebih serius. Kita berharap agar Pemerintah Indonesia menggunakan apa sahaja pendekatan agar memastikan masalah jerebu ini tidak berulang lagi di masa hadapan,” tambahnya.

Dalam masa yang sama, Pergerakan Pemuda UMNO Malaysia telah mengorak langkah untuk melaksanakan kempen memakai topeng muka (face mask), bagi memastikan masyarakat dapat menjalankan urusan harian dengan sihat dan selamat.

Dalam hal ini, rangkaian Pemuda UMNO akan mengedar dan mengagihkan topeng muka secara percuma kepada rakyat, terutamanya di kawasan-kawasan yang terjejas teruk dengan fenomena jerebu ini.

Pergerakan Pemuda UMNO Malaysia juga akan menganjurkan Majlis Solat Sunat Istisqa (solat memohon hujan) di Surau Ar-Rahman, Putra World Trade Centre pada 25 Jun 2013 bagi mendoakan keselamatan negara serta rakyat dalam menghadapi masalah jerebu ini.

Dalam pada itu, Pemuda UMNO di setiap Bahagian seluruh negara juga diseru menganjurkan solat sunat berkenaan. 

Tindakan yang sangat wajar dari Pemuda UMNO.

Adun PR tandatangan petisyen #Jerebu

Seramai 18 Adun PR Johor menandatangani petisyen terhadap usaha menyelesaikan masalah jerebu merentasi persempadanan negara-negara Asean.

Mengetuai langkah menandatangani petisyen itu adalah Pengerusi DAP Johor merangkap Adun Skudai, Dr Boo Cheng Hau dan kemudiannya diserahkan kepada Duta Besar Indonesia di Malaysia, Herman Prayitno.

Cheng Hau berkata, langkah itu dibuat berdasarkan keprihatinan Adun PR negeri ini yang ingin mengemukakan bantahan kepada kerajaan Republik Indonesia agar menghentikan pembersihan hutan secara serta merta melalui kaedah tebang dan bakar.

“Ia hanya menyebabkan merebaknya jerebu di rantau Asean. Kami menggesa kerajaan Indonesia untuk mengambil langkah-langkah yang segera untuk menghentikan jerebu ini,” katanya dalam kenyataan, di sini, semalam.

Katanya, merujuk Laporan Jabatan Alam Sekitar dan National Environment Agency (NEA) Singapura, sekurang-kurangnya terdapat 138 titik panas di Sumatera buat masa ini.

“Paras pencemaran udara berada pada kedudukan paling buruk sejak 1997 di Singapura dan Malaysia.

Justeru, beliau berkata, petisyen itu ditandatangani agar Indonesia ambil langkah segera bagi atasi masalah itu.

Prihatin juga, PR ni dalam isu alam sekitar di Malaysia ni,Indonesia ni pun satu, setiap tahun macam ni, yang susah  jiran-jirannya Malaysia dan  Indonesia!!!

Jerebu: Penduduk Muar dan Ledang jangan panik

Penduduk di Johor khususnya di Muar dan Ledang dinasihat supaya tidak panik hingga membeli bahan makanan serta bahan api dalam jumlah yang banyak susulan pengisytiharan dua kawasan berkenaan sebagai darurat.

Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin berkata, warga Muar dan Ledang juga dinasihatkan mengurangkan aktiviti luar seperti bersukan dan beriadah terutama bagi warga emas, kanak-kanak, wanita dan juga pesakit berisiko seperti asma.

“Muar dan Ledang diumumkan sebagai kawasan darurat berikutan kadar Indeks Pencemaran Udara (IPU) berada pada tahap teruk. Bagaimanapun perintah darurat yang diisytiharkan tidak melibatkan penguatkuasaan perintah berkurung.

“Oleh yang demikian, masyarakat dirayu tidak panik dan jangan membuat pembelian bahan keperluan makanan serta bahan api seperti petrol dan diesel dalam kuantiti banyak,” katanya dalam satu kenyataan di laman sosial Facebooknya, semalam.

Mohamed Khaled berkata, kerajaan negeri sentiasa memantau perkembangan terkini dari masa ke semasa dan berharap rakyat dapat mematuhi segala peraturan ditetapkan supaya masalah jerebu yang melanda negeri ini dapat diatasi bersama.

Beliau berkata, pada masa yang sama solat Hajat diadakan berterusan di semua masjid dan surau seluruh negeri ini antara maghrib dan isyak bagi memohon kesejahteraan negara serta hujan untuk mengurangkan jerebu.

Jerebu ohh jerebu,bilalah akan berakhir, terseksanya..:(