Association of Employment Agencies Malaysia president Foo Yong Hooi said this was because the Indonesian embassy in Malaysia had yet to release the latest SOPs for the intake of maids, China Press reported.

Employers, therefore, could not start the hiring process which would take at least two weeks, he was quoted as saying.

Foo also asked the human resources ministry to clarify whether the Indonesian maids’ monthly salary would be RM1,200 or RM1,500 from May 1.

“In the MoU, it states that employers must pay the maids’ a salary of at least RM1,500,” he said.

Yesterday, human resources minister M Saravanan said Indonesian domestic workers would not be paid anything lower than the minimum wage in force at the time of their employment in Malaysia.

Presently, the minimum wage is set at RM1,200 but will rise to RM1,500 from May 1.

However, Foo told the Chinese-language daily that maids should not be bound by the minimum wage rule because they were not categorised as field workers who could receive overtime pay.