Cambodian maids fill Indonesian void

Cambodian maids are filling the void left by the freeze on Indonesian maids, said Malaysian Association of Foreign Maid Agencies (Papa) president Alwi Bavutty.

He said thousands of Cambodians were being brought into the country every month to cater to the demand for maids.

Prior to the Indonesian maids freeze in June last year, he said there was only between 2,000 and 3,000 Cambodian maids in Malaysia.

This was in comparison to the 4,000 to 5,000 Indonesian maids who were brought in monthly before the freeze, he said adding there were currently more than 200,000 of such maids in the country.

"Agencies used to bring in 400 to 500 Cambodians before, but now some 3,000 come in every month," he told The Star.

He said the agency fees of between RM7,000 and RM8,000 paid by the employer for Cambodian maids was about the same as that for Indonesian maids.