Singapore steps up effort to protect housemaids<\/p>\n
Alexa Olesen, Associated Press, Singapore<\/p>\n
Singapore's government detailed new measures to prevent the abuse
\nof household staff following the death of an Indonesian maid that
\na top official said sparked "revulsion" throughout the city-
\nstate.<\/p>\n
The reforms do not, however, bring maids under legislation
\nthat protects the basic rights of workers in Singapore.<\/p>\n
The measures follow the conviction of a Singaporean man who
\nwas accused of beating his 19-year-old Indonesian maid to death.<\/p>\n
Ng Hua Chye, 47, was sentenced to 18 1\/2 years in prison by a
\ncourt that heard how he starved the maid, beat her with the
\nhandle of a hammer and scalded her with hot water.<\/p>\n
Singapore's minister of state for education and manpower said
\nThursday that the incident had greatly shaken Singapore's self-
\nimage and had prompted people to ask how such a such a thing
\ncould happen in a "civilized" and "educated" society.<\/p>\n
"Outrage from the public, the press, and the government is
\nappropriate and spontaneous and it speaks of a sense of recoil
\nand revulsion," said Ng Eng Hen, according to a transcript of his
\nremarks released by the Ministry of Manpower on Friday.<\/p>\n
In response to that outcry, Singapore's government will
\nintroduce a compulsory orientation course for first-time
\nemployers of foreign domestic workers and require that all maid
\nagencies be accredited by the government, the minister was quoted
\nas saying.<\/p>\n
The government does not, however, plan to bring maids under
\nthe Employment Act, the basic law regulating the conditions of
\nworkers in Singapore, the ministry said Friday in response to
\nquestions from The Associated Press about the new measures.<\/p>\n
"The government has resisted calls for imposing standard terms
\non employers because it is not practical to regulate specific
\naspects of domestic work including hours of work, rest day work
\nand work on public holidays," it said in a statement.<\/p>\n
Women from across Asia flock to Singapore to escape poverty
\nbut often wind up overworked and with no personal freedom.<\/p>\n
Employers are encouraged to keep maids' passports so they
\ncan't run away. Many maids get no days off and are prohibited
\nfrom leaving their employers' home without permission. Some sleep
\non kitchen floors.<\/p>\n
Singapore, a wealthy country of 4 million people, employs
\nabout 140,000 foreign maids, mostly from the Philippines,
\nIndonesia, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand.<\/p>\n
According to the Manpower Ministry, there were 157 reported
\ncases of maid abuse in 1997, 89 in 1998, 82 in 1999, 87 in 2000,
\nand 41 last year.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/singapore-steps-up-effort-to-protect-housemaids-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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