Indonesia to lift maid ban if better conditions, pay offered

The Indonesian government has announced that it would only lift the ban on its citizens working in Saudi Arabia if sponsors meet several new demands including monthly salaries of SR1,700, Fridays off, and overtime payment.
Officials from the Indonesian Labor Recruitment Federation are expected in Riyadh on Saturday to finalize the deal with members of the Council of Saudi Chambers’ national recruitment committee.
The federation also wants Saudi sponsors to pay workers SR100 for working on a Friday or any other off day, or SR6 for every hour worked during these holidays.
Saudi recruitment committee officials believe the new conditions would increase the cost of recruiting domestic help from the country to SR12,000 a worker.
Saudi Ambassador to Jakarta Mustafa Al-Mubarak said that salaries are not the problem delaying the lifting of the ban. “It needs the Indonesian government’s approval,” he said. He said the labor ministries in the two countries have already signed an agreement on recruitment including contract terms. The Indonesian government’s approval was delayed due to internal politics that has nothing to do with Saudi Arabia, he said.
“Public opinion on the protection of Indonesian workers in foreign countries, including Saudi Arabia, is a major issue because it is highlighted by the media, putting pressure on the government,” Al-Mubarak said.
During the Riyadh meeting, Saudi officials are likely to press for a SR1,200 salary, which they consider a fair one. The Indonesian federation wants Saudi recruitment companies to deal with only one Indonesian company instead of several.
Badr Almotawa, a business analyst, said labor-exporting countries have been exploiting Saudi families by increasing salaries of domestic workers and recruitment charges. He said some Indonesian political parties want to exploit the situation by raising human rights issues.
“Many Saudi families seeking domestic help are not very rich. They are either teachers or civil servants. Families in Jordan and Lebanon hire maids at lower salaries compared to Saudi Arabia,” he said.
Almotawa said recruitment from other countries is needed to meet the shortage and avoid exploitation.
Yahiya Al-Maqbul, head of the recruitment committee at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, also supports the idea. Al-Maqbul said the Labor Ministry plans to sign agreements with four new countries to solve the recruitment crisis in the country.