Indonesian domestic workers in Singapore households might soon be a thing of the past — the Indonesian government is considering to put an end to the rampant physical and mental abuse experienced by those who work overseas by completely stopping them from doing so.
The sentiment was expressed by Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla last week, Jakarta Globe reports. The archipelago’s newly elected President Joko Widodo has previously expressed support for the right of Indonesian migrants abroad, a cause championed by the Human Rights Watch.
A large number of domestic workers from Indonesia employed abroad have reported a wide range of abuses including inhumane working hours, passport confiscation, sexual abuse and more, in particular for those working in the United Arab Emirates.
His declaration is a cause for concern for maid agencies here, as Indonesians compose up to 70 per cent of Singapore’s 200,000 foreign domestic workers, Channel NewsAsia reports.
A recruitment advisor noted a lower rate of communication breakdown when it comes to Indonesian maids, who are trained to speak English from the start. Their command of Bahasa Indonesia and some Malay also allows them to understand their employers.
According to Channel NewsAsia, the Manpower Ministry launched a pilot project in August with the purpose of bringing in 400 Cambodian workers to match demands.
Photo: Jerry Wong via Flickr
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