The Church is pushing for a minimum wage, legal protection of rights and a day off each week when they can leave their place of work, said Joachim Francis Xavier, chairperson of the Episcopal Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerants (EMI).

Human Rights Watch released a report this week saying that a proposed revision to a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Malaysia and Indonesia lacked key reforms.

The March 4 report, released ahead of International Women’s Day on March 8, said the MOU did not yet include guarantees for a minimum wage, freedom to leave the workplace n a weekly day of rest, or mechanisms to address grievances.

Speaking to UCA News, Xavier, a layman based in Penang, pointed out that Malaysia treats migrant workers differently depending on which country they came from.

Conditions ‘akin to slavery’

“Workers from the Philippines are allowed a day off with freedom of movement and have been guaranteed a minimum wage,” but not those from Indonesia, he said. “It is unthinkable and ludicrous for an employer to restrict the movement of … workers on their days off.”

The Immigration Act “enables employers to cancel work permits at any time,” which creates “conditions akin to slavery,” he said.

Xavier said the EMI represents several Catholic dioceses in the Migration Working Group (MWG) of Malaysia, a network of national-level rights bodies and individuals that advocate migrants’ rights.

The MWG also has a campaign to provide legal services for migrants in cooperation with the Bar Council of Malaysia. Xavier said the MWG has been involved in influencing the dialogue on the proposed revisions on the MOU between Malaysia and Indonesia.

From this month, employers must attend a half-day course together with their newly employed foreign maids to learn about the rights and responsibilities of each party.

“This is a step in the right direction though in itself it does not solve fundamental issues.”

Malaysia has around 300,000 foreign domestic workers, mostly Indonesians, according to Human Rights Watch. Many work all day during their waking hours, seven days a week for monthly wages of 400 to 600 ringgit (US$120-180).

Usually, they have to use their salaries in the first six to seven months of work to pay off exorbitant recruitment fees. Some also suffer physical or sexual abuse from employers.

Malaysia’s main labor laws exclude domestic workers from key labor protections, such as a weekly day of rest, limits to working hours, workers’ compensation and paid leave.