THERE has been much ado over the mistreatment of foreign maids by their Malaysian employers. The most recent involved Indonesian maid Siti Hajar, who alleged that she was tortured by her employer over the past three years.

This has led to Malaysians being stereotyped as cruel and inhumane by the Indonesian media.

For the misdeeds of a few rotten apples among employers, Malaysia has been criticised and denigrated, as in the past when the cases of Nirmala Bonat and others were highlighted. The outcry has even resulted in Indonesia imposing a moratorium on sending domestic workers to Malaysia.

Several other recommendations that have been put forward following the recent developments deserve consideration. While employers who abuse their maids are in the minority, it remains that there are many inadequate policies and procedures that leave maids at the mercy of their employers.

They do not get days off, for example, and employers are authorised to hold on to their passports "for safekeeping".

Domestic workers are vulnerable to exploitation because they are excluded from the protection of the labour laws.

Under the Malaysian Employment Act 1955, foreign domestic workers are not covered by regulations relating to such issues as rest days, hours of work and termination benefits.

However, more efficacious than an amendment of the law would be for the proposed benefits - including the controversial one involving one day off a week for maids - to be enshrined in an Indonesia-Malaysia memorandum of understanding on migrant workers. Maids from the Philippines already enjoy one day off a week, as this was provided for in an agreement with their government.

It is imperative that everything possible is done to make the working and living conditions of foreign domestic workers better, as the less than acceptable conditions in which some of them have to live has remained a blot on our record for far too long. At the same time, steps must also be taken to protect those who employ maids.

At present, employers have to fork out exorbitant fees to secure maids who are often of poor quality. If the maid runs away or is found to be unfit for work, the employer usually has no recourse but to pay another equally hefty sum for a replacement.

While employers need to be sensitive to the needs of those who do their cooking, cleaning and scrubbing, it is also crucial that the rights of employers are taken care of.