Kathmandu, October 10:

Malaysia is going to hire Nepali domestic help, thanks to Mala-ysian government’s decision to allow maids from four new countries. Malaysia has decided to allow its citizens to hire maids from India, Nepal, Laos and Vietnam citing an increase in demand and the difficulty in getting domestic help from Indonesia, reported Bernma, Ma-laysia’s national agency, quoting Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, deputy PM as saying.

Najib further said recruitment from the four new source countries would start only after the memorandums of understanding (MoU) is signed. There are currently 3,17,537 foreign maids in the country and they are sourced mostly from Indonesia as well as from the Philippines, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Cambodia.

“The decision is laudable,” said Keshar Bahadur Baniya, director general at the department of labour and employment promotion (DoLEP). He, however, stressed on the need of clear-cut pre-recruitment procedures including orientation, language and vocational training, and strong monitoring during work period.

Citing gender related sensitivity and other issues, Baniya pointed out the need of clear-cut procedures and terms of reference including basic salary and other benefits, which should be included in the MoU. “It may take time, but it must be thoroughly worked out,” he added.

Nepal is the second largest labour-sending country for Malaysia after Indonesia. Out of the total 1.8 million Nepali migrant workers across the globe, Malaysia alone absorbs about 325,000 Nepalis. All of them are male working in manufacturing, construction and agriculture sectors.

According to the Malaysian Human Resource Ministry’s recent data, there are 2,021,099 foreign workers in manufacturing (35.9 per cent), plantation (17 per cent), housemaids (15.8 per cent), construction (14.1 per c-ent), service industry (9.5 per cent) and agriculture (7.7 per cent) sector.

“There is a big potential for Nepali maids in Malaysia, as socio-culture and climatic factors are relatively better compared to Gulf countries,” Madan Mahat, vice-president of Nepal Association for Foreign Employment Agencies (NAFEA), said.

Malaysia’s decision or gesture alone is not enough, as commitment for implementing it from the governments of the two countries as well as a thorough preparation and transparent mechanism to this regard is very crucial, he said adding that clear-cut conditions should be laid out in the bilateral agreement and its strong monitoring is also equally important.

He further pointed out the need of pre-departure preparations including training on language and skill as well as orientation on other needs such as household environment, culture and custom. “All domestic help should be entitled to equal treatment, as Malaysian employers have been providing free air ticket, visa, insurance and meal to maids from other source countries,” he added.

Although the government has already opened foreign employment sector for Nepali women, Nepal has yet not been able to reap benefits from it. Till date, Nepali domestic helps have been going to Hong Kong, Israel and South Korea only.