By Raslan Baharom

TAIPING, MALAYSIA: A separate wage structure will be introduced for foreign domestic maids from the various source countries, said Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam.

He said the move would ensure that a standard wage was stipulated in the contracts between employers and employees.

He explained that under the new move, maids from Indonesia would have one standard wage structure while those from the Philippines would have another.

The ministry, he said, hoped to implement a comprehensive standard contract, which included the standard wage, by year-end.

Dr Subramaniam added that the standard contracts would be drawn based on the Memorandum of Understanding signed by Malaysia and all source countries.

"There will be contracts (to be signed by employers and employees) and wages will also be standardised.

"By the end of the year, everybody will have a standard agreement and wages (to abide by)," he told reporters at the opening of an Indian youth career development workshop here yesterday.

Late last month, the Philippines embassy said that Filipino maids must be paid the minimum US$400 (S$576.20) monthly salary. The rate had been decided by the country's labour authorities.

Indonesian maids, meanwhile, were paid a much lower monthly wages.

On whether foreign maids would be sourced from China, Dr Subramaniam said the proposals could not be implemented due to opposition from various quarters.

"Wanita MCA had also informed me that it was not in favour of sourcing maids from China," he added.

On another matter, Dr Subramaniam said skills development courses under the purview of his ministry would be reviewed to suit the country's current industrial needs.

In the past, he said, the need of the country's industrial sector in term of skilled manpower were less demanding compared to today.

"Now 80% of our youths at least passed their Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia and are qualified to be engaged in skilful industrial sector," Dr Subramaniam said.