Sunday 23 July 2006

�But if the Government has made it a ruling that a contract must be signed, then every employer must abide by the regulation,� said Endang, 40, whose employer gives her a day off every week and pays her a bonus on special occasions.�

Endang said she personally believed that there was no need for a contract between employer and maid as long as both parties were honest and fair with each other.�

�In my case my employer sends home my pay promptly, and I also get a bonus during Hari Raya and Deepavali.��

�My employer is very fair and takes good care of me,� said Endang who claimed that a bad employer would still abuse his or her maid even if they had signed a contract. �

She was commenting on the Labour Department's directive that new Indonesian maids would be required to sign a contract with their employers.�

On opening a savings account, she said that it was the responsibility of the employer to pay their maids regularly.�

Her employer Dr M. Kumar said that he had no objections to the new government directive of having a contract with the maid.�

�I have told her that I want to open a bank account under her name but she doesn't want to.� �

Another maid, identified only as Maria, 22, from Kepong, said that maids who entered the country prior to June should also be protected.�

�I have a contract with my employer but a standard contract should spell out salary increments and bonuses as well as working hours,� she said.�