Snippets about MM and MOM

1.MM Lee says sorry that recent comments caused discomfort to PM Abdullah

By Farah Abdul Rahim, Channel NewsAsia

Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew says he is sorry that his recent comments about Chinese Malaysians had caused Malaysia's Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi a great deal of discomfort.

Mr Lee had said during an international forum in Singapore more than two weeks ago that ethnic Chinese minorities in Malaysia and Indonesia are being marginalised.

In his letter to Mr Abdullah, Mr Lee said he had no intention to meddle in Malaysian politics.

Nor does he have the power to influence Malaysia's politics or to incite the feelings of Chinese in the country. (Read more from CNA...)

Comments:

Hi friends (from both sides of the causeway & also Indonesia),

Now that MM Lee has clarified his position, I hope that we can all move on.

Let us all concentrate our resources on creating a win-win situation for all.

Enlarge the economic pie so that ASEAN can be the next miracle to rival China and India.

It may seem a tall order, but let us put our differences aside to pursue this vision together. How about it?

Cheers,

Dr.Huang Shoou Chyuan


2. MOM unveils measures to help maids and their employers

By Noor Mohd Aziz, Channel NewsAsia

The Manpower Ministry has come up with new measures to help maids and their employers forge a better understanding and relationship.

Top among them is prompt salary payment.

From November 1, maids can ask for their salaries to be paid into their bank accounts here.

The Manpower Ministry will introduce this as a new work permit condition for employers.

But maids who have been promptly paid by their employers can continue with their current arrangements.

One employment agency that has enshrined this practice in its contracts fully agrees with this new requirement.

Mary Goh, Director, Garden Home Employment Agency, said: "Opening of the bank account is a good move in a sense that it ensures transparency. And the maids are happy because they feel very secure with the bank account and they are motivated to work harder because they know the money is in their bank account."

Another measure will be random interviews with maids, especially those working here for the first time.

The Ministry will randomly select these maids during their initial months of employment.

During the interviews, the welfare of the maids will be looked into and safe working conditions, their rights and responsibilities will be reiterated. (Read on...)


Comments:

Dear friends,

I am again happy that the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) appears to be doing something to address some of the problems facing our domestic workers ( maids).

Making sure that the employers pay the maids directly into the bank accounts is good. Making random checks on the maids is even better. This would certainly discourage any employer or his family from abusing the vulnerable maids.

But, it still does not address the sad fact that these same maids do not even get a day off a month! As noted in my previous post, although the new contract stipulates that the maids be "given a compulsory day off every month" it then pulled-back by qualifying that they may be paid "cash in lieu”. As rightly pointed by MP Halimah, a maid would find it tough to go up against her boss “because the power relations are uneven”!

Singaporean employers can be extremely persuasive for at the drop of a hat, this maid can be bundled straight to the airport and sent back to ulu kampung or province somewhere faraway!

If faced with a choice of a lifetime of debt ( if deported unexpectedly) or $20 paid in lieu of a day-off, the choice is obvious.

So at the risk of being labelled a ranting lunatic, please go all the way, MOM, and make a weekly day-off compulsory for all workers in Singapore, maid or not!

Cheers,

Dr.Huang Shoou Chyuan