Oct 16, 2011
By PAUL GABRIEL
paulnews@thestar.com.my
KUALA LUMPUR: As potential employers and maid agencies reeled from the ban imposed by Cambodia on sending its citizens to work as domestic helpers to Malaysia, the embassy here said the action followed feedback that it had been sending to Phnom Penh.
Cambodian Ambassador to Malaysia Princess Norodom Arunrasmy said the the ban would be temporary until proper measures were put in place to address the issue of abuse and torture of the maids here.
“I do not expect the issue will be resolved soon as we want everything in order before you can resume recruitment.
In one week alone, three of our maids died. We are still awaiting the autopsy reports. — PRINCESS NORODOM ARUNRASMY “In one week alone, three of our maids died. We are still awaiting the autopsy reports,” she told The Star.
Asked whether she had proposed the ban, Arunrasmy, who is the daughter of Cambodia's King Father Norodom Sihanouk, said: “The decision of my Prime Minister (Hun Sen) was not harsh or drastic as he had long discussions on it.”
Hun Sen announced the ban on Friday, saying he was disappointed with alleged incidents of beatings and rape of Cambodian maids by their Malaysian employers.
The envoy said she had been re-ceiving reports of abuse of Cambodian maids “almost daily”.
“There are impatient employers who have beaten them for the slightest of issues. But the majority of Malaysian employers have been kind and hospitable to our workers.
“I just met one girl today who told me that she has been happily working for her Malaysian employer for more than 10 years,” she added.
Arunrasmy said the ban would not affect Malaysian employers whose applications for Cambodian maids were already approved.
“Approved maids will still continue to arrive here. The ban is only for fresh applications,” she explained.
The envoy said Cambodia would discuss the issue with the Malaysian Government at the next Joint Commission Meeting.
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