This is especially so as the government previously announced a freeze on foreign workers’ intake in all sectors – except for construction, agriculture and plantation – until the end of the year. For housewife Ainul Saerah Yahaya who had always needed that extra hand to help her care for her seven children, her experience of hiring maids had been a strenuous process. Foo emphasised that the government should immediately open up the intake of foreign workers but with stringent standard operating procedure imposed such as undergoing a mandatory 14-day quarantine and Covid-19 swab test. Engku believes that the government should give serious attention to train the local workforce as “Certified Domestic Co-Ordinator” before bringing in foreign domestic workers. “How long do we want to rely on foreign workers?

Source: The Star September 03, 2020 23:03 UTC