Civil
society welcomed the decision of the Malaysian government to provide a
mandatory paid day off for foreign domestic workers in the country. In
a statement issued on 17 June 2009, about 30 organisations called on
the government to "incorporate a mandatory standard
employment contract into the Employment Act according the same range of
labour rights as any other workers".
Civil
society welcomed the decision of the Malaysian government to provide a
mandatory paid day off for foreign domestic workers in the country. In
a statement issued on 17 June 2009, about 30 organisations called on
the government to "incorporate a mandatory standard
employment contract into the Employment Act according the same range of
labour rights as any other workers".
As regional networks, foreign and local domestic workers
associations, trade unions, non-governmental organisations and community
based organisations working on issues related to migrant workers, we welcome
the recent move by the Malaysian government to provide a mandatory paid day off
for foreign domestic workers (FDW).
As a major destination country within the region, the Malaysian
government's move to enforce a weekly paid day off for FDWs by
incorporating the provision in the Employment Act by the end of this year is
certainly a mark of social change. However if the Malaysian government wishes
to protect the rights of FDWs, there is an urgent need for a more comprehensive
measure. This can only be achieved by incorporating a mandatory standard
contract into the Employment Act to address the specificity of domestic work,
issues related to gender and the home as a private sphere.
While employers enjoy the benefit of at least a day off a week,
the nature of domestic work usually means that most FDWs are on call for
work twenty four hours a day and seven days a week. It is time that all levels
of Malaysian society recognise the contribution FDWs make throughout society,
by granting them the same labour rights and protection that is accommodated to
any other worker who deserves a day's rest from work for the sake of
their physical and psychological well being.
As such we call on the Malaysian government to implement these
initial changes to legislation as swiftly as possible. Furthermore, domestic
workers must be given the choice between financial compensation or the day off
and must not face any ramifications of their choice.
