By Ida Lim
KUALA LUMPUR, June 26 — Putrajaya will call for a meeting with Indonesia’s envoy to Malaysia and local maid agencies within the week to clear the storm over Jakarta’s latest delay in sending over its workers amid a growing diplomatic row between the two countries, Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam said today.
The human resources minister was reported to have said that a group of 29 Indonesian maids who arrived last month had received their permits and were working but Sin Chew Daily reported the Indonesian embassy here as denying they were the first batch approved by Jakarta.
Indonesia had imposed a two-year ban on sending any of its workers here as maid following numerous complaints of abuse and agreed to lift it only last December. But it has yet to send any since.
The conflicting reports have triggered concern among several maid employment agencies who find it difficult to fulfil the huge demand for domestic workers.
“My secretary-general will have a meeting with all the agencies and the other people responsible because we are having conflicting reports,” Dr Subramaniam (picture) told reporters.
“So we are calling all of them. (Maid) Agencies, Indonesian attache, everybody. And they will clarify,” he added.
Datuk Seri Zainal Rahim Seman, the ministry’s secretary-general who was also present at the news conference, said he has called the “Indonesian Embassy office to clarify” its statements.
“After getting everything, a statement will be released to the press,” the minister said.
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