As Malaysia faces shortage of housemaids, Nepal has been mulling to lift a three-year-old ban on its supply of domestic help.

The Nepali Embassy in Malaysia has drafted a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) -- which basically ensures a reasonable minimum pay apart from provisions of insurance, day-off and over-time work for Nepali housemaids -- to this effect. Although it is yet to give an official nod to the draft, the Ministry of Labor and Transport Management (MoLTM) appears positive. “Once Malaysia agrees to accept all prerequisites mentioned in the MoU draft, we will resume the supply of domestic help,” Dr Adhikari told Republica, adding, “As it badly needs housemaids, Malaysia will hopefully not dilly-dally in signing the MoU.” However, Dr Adhikari stated, Nepal will not resume its supply of domestic workers without having ensured the rights and safety of workers.

In 2007, Nepal had suspended its supply of domestic workers following frequent reports of abuse of foreign housemaids by Malaysian employers. Currently, only some 80 Nepali women -- who either entered Malaysia before Nepal´s ban or have reached there on other visas -- work as housemaids in Malaysia.

As Indonesia remained the largest supplier of housemaids to Malaysia until 2009, Nepal´s suspension of its supply of domestic workers did not quite affect the Malaysian people. However, as Indonesia decided to not supply more housemaids in June of 2009, Malaysia started reaching out to other developing countries, including Nepal.

After Indonesia, Malaysia had largely relied on Cambodia for domestic workers. However, with a minimum age bar of 21 for housemaids in place, Malaysian domestic workers recruiting agencies have found it difficult to depend solely on Cambodia, mounting pressures on Nepal to revoke its ban.

“We are trying our best to strike a better deal with Malaysia,” Dr Adhikari said. According to him, a meeting between Nepali and Malaysian authorities has been fixed for March 31.

As of now, there is not even a general MoU between Nepal and Malaysia for workers. Earlier, Nepal and Malaysia were all set to endorse a general MoU by the end of 2010. It, however, did not come into effect within a previously-set timeframe.

Malaysia is the most popular labor destination for Nepal. About 500,000 Nepali migrants are working in Malaysia. Apart from domestic workers, Nepal has imposed a ban on the entry of Nepali workers into plantation and construction sectors while Malaysia has itself decided to not take Nepali workers as security guards.

Published on: 30 March 2011 | Republica