19 maid agencies risk having licences revoked

Friday June 22, 2007
By MAZWIN NIK ANIS

PUTRAJAYA: Nineteen maid agencies risk having their licences revoked if they cannot disprove the allegations and complaints made against them.
Home Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Radzi Sheikh Ahmad said their licences had since been suspended and they have until the end of the month to appeal.

The agencies are :

Philipmore Sdn Bhd

Has Sdn Bhd

Sasyaz Sdn Bhd

MNK Sdn Bhd

Uni Tenaga Sdn Bhd

Sri Nadin Sdn Bhd

Indomaid (M) Sdn Bhd

AZ Sdn Bhd

Alaf Baru Sdn Bhd

Speecomaju Sdn Bhd

Princeton Sdn Bhd

Cita Selasih Sdn Bhd

Ibu Sdn Bhd

Ryuji Sdn Bhd

Srikanti Sdn Bhd

Abdullah dan Rakan Sdn Bhd

Sri Anika Sdn Bhd

Advance Advisory (M) Sdn Bhd

Vegah Sdn Bhd.

Mohd Radzi said it was the first time that such strict measures were taken against irresponsible maid agencies.
“For the agencies that come forward to prove the allegations wrong, investigations will be carried out before we can determine their fate.
“But for agents who do not even bother to appeal, we will just revoke their licences and they will no longer be able to operate an agency in future,” he told a press conference.
Mohd Radzi said the agency Kemas Cerah Sdn Bhd had been struck out of the list for sending an Indonesian maid to work with a real estate agent in Sentul when she was supposed to be employed in Kuala Terengganu.

The maid made headlines when she tried to escape from her employer by climbing down from the windows of a condominium unit.
Mohd Radzi said several regulations would be made to govern agencies, employers and maids.
“For a start, we want all of the 400-odd agencies to be members of the Malaysian Association of Foreign Housemaids (Papa), an association that the ministry recognised,” he added.The ministry has two hotlines, 03-8880 1455 and 03-8880 1399, to deal with employer and maid matters.