By R.K. SHYAMALA

PETALING JAYA, Malaysia: Employers planning to hire Muslim domestic maids from the Philippines in place of Indonesians have been dealt with bad news.

The Philippine Embassy here says Filipino maids must be paid the minimum US$400 ($582) monthly salary as decided earlier by Manila labour authorities.

The embassy's labour attache here, Hassan T. Humdain, said the minimum salary for Filipina maids had been fixed at that amount and his government wanted that enforced.

He said although he had proposed to Manila that the minimum wage be fixed at RM1,000 ($411), the ultimate decision was with the Phillipine government.

The Malaysian Association of Foreign Maid Agency (Papa), when contacted, described the minimum pay set by the Philippines as "unrealistic".

Indonesian maids are paid between RM500 and RM600, while Filipinos are usually paid between RM800 and RM1,200.

"It should range between RM800 and RM1,000," said Papa president Raja Datuk Zulkepley Dahalan, adding that this had been agreed with Papa's counterpart in the Phillippines for maids from Mindanao.

Zulkepley said if the matter was not cleared, Papa would raise it up with the embassy.

Fomca chief executive Mohd Yusof Abdul Rahman said cost would not be an issue for those who could afford it.

"Sending children to the nursery is more expensive than hiring a maid. Besides taking care of the children, maids can do other household chores such as cooking and cleaning."

"Malaysians, especially Malays, prefer Indonesian (Muslim) maids because they share a similar culture," he said.

He suggested that Malaysia sort out the matter with Indonesia and come up with proper written contracts to oversee the welfare of Indonesian maids.

"It would be good if the Government can set up a special body to monitor employers," he added.

Civil servant K. Jegatheswary, 30, said she preferred Indonesian maids over Filipinos due to several reasons.

"Indonesian maids speak Malay, and this gives my children good training. Most parents today speak English with their children," she said.

A. Nirmala, 52, who plans to hire a maid, said: "I do not want to pay extra for someone who can do the same type of work."