I read with interest your story on the fate of most Indonesia domestic workers in Singapore.
I would like to obtain readers attention and hopefully somebody or organizations can then end the unfair practices and exploitation by maid agencies in Singapore.
Do you know that once maids agree to be hired by the agency in Singapore, they already owe a huge debt to the agency? I am sure that most of them do not know.
To make this short, their monthly salary actually is S$330 but they only receive S$10. The rest goes to the agency. This will go on for at least eight to 10 months of repayment.
But if the employer thinks the maid is unsuitable, she will be returned to the agency and she has to start to return the debt. Her debt will keep on increasing if she is not immediately hired by another employer because she is also charged S$20 for food and accommodation.
Hopefully, somebody can look into this problem and bring it to the government because I strongly feel that it is illegal for any agencies to do this kind of practice.
I have brought this unfair treatment to the attention of the Singapore labor ministry, but they just said that it is between the maids and the agencies. I think the maids really do not know what they have agreed to.
CHRISTOPHER CHEW
Singapore
