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Ruling on non-Muslim maids in Malaysia discriminatory: Association
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Indonesian and Fillipino maids at a maid agency in Singapore. (The Straits Times, Files/-)
M
CA has labelled the Immigration Department's directive barring Muslims from hiring non-Muslim maids as discriminatory and says it could damage national integration and unity.
In a statement on Monday, Malaysian Chinese Association’s religious harmony bureau chairman Ti Lian Ker reminded the Department that rules and regulations must be weighed carefully and should not be made "at the whims and fancies of those in power".
He said rules that caused additional cost, hardship and inconvenience to the public should be avoided, especially if it was made on the basis of race or religion.
"There must be consistency and clear intent and purpose for the good of the state and welfare of all," said Ti.
He added that Malaysians were already "overly divided" along the lines of race, creed and religion and warned that "drawing deeper lines" could end up doing more harm and damage toward national integration and unity.
On Sunday, Malaysian Maid Employers Association (Mama) president Engku Ahmad Fauzi had said that the new policy would end up limiting the supply of maids for Muslims and called on the Immigration Department to enlighten people on the rationale of the policy.
"Religion should not be an obstacle. When you work in an office, you don't base it on religion and likewise, this should not be the case for the maid in the home," he said.
