THE issue of foreign maids has been a subject of intense discussion among the people in recent weeks following media reports of Malaysian employers ill-treating their Indonesian maids.

It saddens me to learn of the inhumane treatment meted out to these maids who are here, in Malaysia, to eke out a living for themselves and their families back home.

Unfortunately, these negative reports over the ill-treatment of Indonesian maids give the impression that most, if not all, Malaysian employers ill-treat their maids.

Arising from such negative reports, the Indonesian Government has decided to stop sending its domestic helps to Malaysia. There were also reports of protests and demonstrations in Jakarta about the abuses and ill treatments of Indonesian maids by Malaysians.

An Indonesian association has even called on the Malaysian Government to ensure that their maids are placed only with Muslim employers. This certainly does not make sense.

Such reactions from Indonesia are understandable, but let us all, Indonesians and Malaysians, not be overly emotional about this. We need to look at the issue rationally and understand the true situation.

To begin with, not all Malaysian employers abuse their maids. There are good and exemplary employers whose kind deeds, unfortunately, have not been highlighted. Perhaps, stories about good employers do not help to sell newspapers.

Similarily, there are also good domestic helpers as there are the bad ones. I do sympathise with maids who are abused but there are also numerous cases of maids betraying their employers' trusts. I come under the latter.

Given the nature of my work I had to rely on maids for several years to do household chores. My wife and I not only took care of our maids but even treated them as part of the family.

We tried to establish good relationships with our maids - one that is built on mutual respect for one another's religion, traditions and values. But what did we get in return? We felt cheated and, needless to say, disappointed when upon their departure (at the end of their contract), we discovered numerous items missing from home.

We also had one Indonesian maid who would sneak out of our home in the early hours of the morning.

I believe there are many other employers who suffer the same fate.

The point I am making here is that the Indonesian authorities should not be drawing a conclusion based on some bad cases of maid abuse in Malaysia.

On the issue of introducing legislation to provide a day off for maids, I believe the Government is working towards it, despite the concerns and reservations made by a majority of Malaysian employers.

The Government has to consider seriously the social implications linked to the implementation of the day-off ruling, even if it is a human rights' issue.

TAN SRI LEE LAM THYE,

Kuala Lumpur.