Hands-on: Maids learning how to tend to senior citizens at Sri Nadin Sdn Bhd’s training centre in Jalan Yap Kwan Seng.
Caring for the young: The Cambodian maids learning to take care of babies.Friday February 29, 2008
By YIP YOKE TENG
The Star (Malaysia)
THERE is a rise in the demand for maids from countries other than Indonesia, like from Cambodia.
Philimore Sdn Bhd managing director Y.S. Liew said the employment of Cambodian maids had increased over the past two years.
He said he anticipated a further increase in the near future.
“Cambodian maids were not that in demand at first due to the language barrier. Now, we fly in more than 200 Cambodian maids a month,” he said.
According to Liew, of about 300,000 maids here, Indonesians make up 90% while Cambodians and Filipinos number 8% and 2% respectively.
“Cambodian maids are getting popular as employers like their attitude.''
“They are also eager to learn and are self disciplined. Many employers prefer them even though communication is rather difficult. In fact, the language barrier is an advantage as others cannot influence them easily.
“The salary scale is almost the same - RM550 for Indonesians and RM590 for Cambodian maids,” he added.
An employer from Bandar Utama, Petaling Jaya, Ng Shih Shing, said the Cambodian maid he had employed in 2006 had become part of the family.
“She speaks very little English but learns very fast. She even follows us to church,” he said.
“I had three Indonesian maids who gave me various problems and the fourth one ran away a day after she arrived. When I reported it to the police, they said there was an average of eight cases a day,” he added.
His maid, Rose, 21, from Siem Reap, had worked in Malaysia for three years before taking up the second contract.
“It's all right working here. I last took home RM13,000 and gave it to my family. I want to earn more to buy a house,” she said.
Koun Vannak: Had a good employer during her three years in Malaysia and has come back to earn more money
Another Cambodian maid, Koun Vannak, 25, said she had a good employer during her three years in Malaysia and had come back to earn more money.
Sri Nadin Sdn Bhd is another agency supplying Vietnamese maids and its general manager Fiona Low said employers opted for Vietnamese maids as this was “something new”.
Philimore Sdn Bhd managing director Y.S. Liew said the employment of Cambodian maids had increased over the past two years.
He said he anticipated a further increase in the near future.
“Cambodian maids were not that in demand at first due to the language barrier. Now, we fly in more than 200 Cambodian maids a month,” he said.
According to Liew, of about 300,000 maids here, Indonesians make up 90% while Cambodians and Filipinos number 8% and 2% respectively.
“Cambodian maids are getting popular as employers like their attitude.''
“They are also eager to learn and are self disciplined. Many employers prefer them even though communication is rather difficult. In fact, the language barrier is an advantage as others cannot influence them easily.
“The salary scale is almost the same - RM550 for Indonesians and RM590 for Cambodian maids,” he added.
An employer from Bandar Utama, Petaling Jaya, Ng Shih Shing, said the Cambodian maid he had employed in 2006 had become part of the family.
“She speaks very little English but learns very fast. She even follows us to church,” he said.
“I had three Indonesian maids who gave me various problems and the fourth one ran away a day after she arrived. When I reported it to the police, they said there was an average of eight cases a day,” he added.
His maid, Rose, 21, from Siem Reap, had worked in Malaysia for three years before taking up the second contract.
“It's all right working here. I last took home RM13,000 and gave it to my family. I want to earn more to buy a house,” she said.
Koun Vannak: Had a good employer during her three years in Malaysia and has come back to earn more moneyAnother Cambodian maid, Koun Vannak, 25, said she had a good employer during her three years in Malaysia and had come back to earn more money.
Sri Nadin Sdn Bhd is another agency supplying Vietnamese maids and its general manager Fiona Low said employers opted for Vietnamese maids as this was “something new”.
29 comments:
At the speed how our country is developped, that no other things than garment and tourism as industries, less and less of agricultural land, soon Cambodian people will become famous through Asia for being maids or servants as the Filipinos... Like them, all the future graduate as doctors, scientists or teachers will end up being taxi drivers or maids in other countries....
The future of the Cambodian youth is to prepare the dishes, housekeeping and toilets washing of foreign people in other countries and even actually in Cambodia (for chinese, korean, westerners...). At least for those lucky to get this job... For the others, prostitution (male and female), gambling, drugs. And for those too lazy or desperate, robberies and gangsterism...
It is a very bright future for the Cambodian Youth. So in July 2008, let's vote for the same government who prepare this future for us!!
This is to prove that Cambodia is ruling by an idiot leader who has sent all his citizen to be homemaid of neighbouring country and slave workers in South Korea, Thailand and Malaysia.
Fair comments 7:51 but dont wait for your govenment to improve the situation.
When Cambodians accept they've only got themselves to blame for their poor lot in life, only then can your country move forward.
in case people aren't aware already, countries like the philipines and some other have sent thousands of their women workers to all over the world already. this is a new phenomenon or something. it just happened that cambodia is the last country to do so; and this kind of worker overseas in very foreign and very new to cambodia while other countries in the world have done this already. so, i thought i just want to let cambodian people on this blog know, that's all. it is called global work force. please get use to it. it helps create jobs and earns incomes for people. plus, these people get to come back home; and this kind of work overseas like this could help cambodia its its policy of poverty alleviation, slowly but surely. repeat, this is not something new to other countries like the philipines, for example; but it is very new and foreign to cambodia as we just now beginning to experience the global economy. please get used to it!!! if you don't believe me, observe the philipino people for yourself and you will see this!!! it's not always bad to do this(the philipines even sent their doctors and nurses overseas to work for foreign countries, i'm telling you, this is nothing so special about a small drop in the bucket of cambodia workforce that just starting to do this now). i think it's ok.
Hello 9:27AM
Would you like to send your wife to be my homemaid and at nighttime massage for me and my wife? You must be an idiot !!
China has 1.30 billions people, have you seen any chinese working as homemaid? This is a leader memtality and National Pride. You want to keep your culture by suppressing singer to sing love song, but rather sending them to work as homemaid. Is it your Cambodian culture ?
i don't think this is such a bad idea, after all! i mean it is new and foreign to cambodia, but it's not that bad. agreed that philipino people are sent all over the world to work in hotel, maids, hospitals and even in the US military, there are lots and lots of philipino in the US military. not bad, huh!! cambodia, this is only a drop in a huge bucket that cambodians are now beginning to look for work overseas. i think people are opposed to this idea because they (cambodian people) aren't used to this new of going overseas to work as slaves or something along that line as some would claim. but, the truth is that, this kind of work is not that bad. as the population increased and economy is better, there's just not enough jobs in the country to cater to everyone, so it is normal to look over the borders for jobs. please get used to it! this also called for the change of attitude about thinking that all jobs are slave-like; not necessarily true. it is called making a living by any mean, especially, if you are poor and jobless in your own country. keep in mind as well that population in cambodia in on the increase, so there's not enough jobs for everyone to do; so go work overseas for temporary, then come back home. it's not a permanent thing!
work overseas, save lots of money and then come back home. what about working in the USA, would everyone like to come, too? i would, if i were you. they paid more here! same concept, everywhere. please get used to it!
What is the matter with these women today, don't they know how to care for baby, they have to school for that?
Geez...I think it's all scams.
I just can't believe what I am reading here and of all the fucken profession and why do Cambodian women have to be trained to be a fucken maid! These Cambodian women are trained to clean people toilet and clean the fucken house and dish and cook food!
Oh well! I don't even know what happen to AH HUNS SEN high culture!
It is so laughable to hear that AH HUN SEN 's wife even ban a song which claim to promote infidelity but look at what happen here and AH HUN SEN government is willing to train Cambodian women to clean people toilet!
AH HUN SEN and his wife should be ashamed of themselves! I am speechless because these Cambodian women even dress like a prisoner!
Anyway, better for these girls to get a job oversea than going in Phnom Penh and end up as beer garden, karaoke, massage and prostitution. It is better perspective than that.
I buy that.
And stupid (1:17), what exactly do you have in mind, train them to be Astronaut?
There are countless meaningful jobs that these dirt poor Cambodian women can be trained for and the best part is that they don't have to work in other country and to be far away from their family, children, and love one!
These dirt poor Cambodian women are in for a surprise because the horror will begin as soon as they start their job a fucken housemaid! She will be used for 24 hours a day like a fucken slave! She can be accused of have an affair with the husband! She can be accused of eating too much and too lazy to work and there is no such thing sick day! The lists go on and on…
Housemaid is modern day slavery!
AH HUN SEN economic system is not conducive to job creation!
Check it out just to have some ideas about training for the right job!
http://jobs.careerbuilder.com/
Well, this is no difference form space exploration for astronaut. Sometime, it will be a disaster, but most of the time it will be okay.
And to be specific about Malaysia, Yes, one or two will face a nightmare from idiots, but a lot of Malaysians are good people, and when the maid done a good job for the superior, some of them might even be rewarded with further school to become professional chef... . I personally known a couple cases like that....
Hey! I am not talking about shooting for the star or being an astronaut for these dirt poor Cambodian women!
I am talking about the decency of being a human not being a fucken slave! There are million of housemaids being trafficking around the world as slave every year! With understanding of the fucken Cambodian high culture by AH HUN SEN’s wife and AH HUN SEN mother fucker should have more understand about the work of a housemaid that being a housemaid is a form of slavery!
You seem to know only a couple cases but what about those hundred of cases when these housemaid got abuse physically and mentally by the employer and you don't even talk about those unfortunate housemaid as if they weren't exist or not a human being!
When the employer doesn’t like the housemaid and they can always accuse her of stealing their money and jewelry and cheating on the husband and I am telling you that the horror is about to begin for these dirt poor unfortunate Cambodian women! I have no doubt that AH HUN SEN court is ready to prosecute them to the full extend of the law!
Well, in general these are not permanent position like accounting, secretary, ..., in a corporation.
Most of the employers are typically couple with career, and they need someone to maintain their house, cook for the kids, ... .
And when the kid can look out for themselves, the job usually done.
Furthermore, many of these maid just looking to make enough money, then get married and raise their own family. They are not going to stay single and kidless forever, you know?
4:38: agree with you. Especially when our education and work market in Cambodia does not offer much opportunities for these young from the countryside... They will earn much more than factories and working with their hands otherthere better than working with their pussy here...
Cause what i see in CAmbodia actually, except farming that provide low revenue, most of young girls from coutnryside end up in karaoke or massage parlor. The point is that the companies who are processing the maid system must be held responsbile for what happen to them oversea.
Well, I would agree with you to hold the Agency responsible for their employee safety, but these are not the Agency's employee. They are really independent self-employ or business. If they steal from they superior, they may get lock up, beat up or whatever. They are culpable for their own action. The Agency have no control over that.
whats wrong with them working as maids in malaysia???? they would be able to earn enough money for them to live a good life later on in cambodia....other than that, theyt will be trained to talk in english and would be able to find a better occupation when they go back to cambodia......all we ever hear about in cambodia is how ppl gets evicted and they lose their homes...i reckon they would be earning better income working as a maid in malaysia than staying in cambodia...u should not look down on this women...at least they are doing something to support their family!!!
Well, enough had been said! Now I want to Cambodian woman maid too and I want her to clean my toilet! I say fuck AH HUN SEN and his wife for their high culture concept at the same promoting Cambodian women to be housemaid!
These Cambodian housemaids will work 24 hours a day and they have time for school? Ahhahhahahha!
I have to be honest that I have seen a lot of housemaids in my life and I have yet to find one housemaid who can make enough money to have a good life or even to support their family! Most of the housemaids I met tend to do odd jobs from house to house and they are constantly busy working none stop and I don't even know if they even have the fucken time for themselves! Many of the people in here talk like they used to be a housemaid but they are just a liar and they are preaching how rosy and how romantic it is to be housemaid unless the housemaid want to lift her skirt for the master of the house!
Good Luck to all dirt poor Cambodian women who want to be a housemaid because the master of the house will yell and scream, reprimand, and scold you like little children and the treatment would be no less than a slave because I have seen the housemaid and I have observed how the master of the house used them as slave like their money worth more than the dignity of a human being!
Well said, 2:14, and thank you for supporting these poor women.
Also as you mentioned "learning English", I forgot to mention that had been a nightmare in the past. Thus, the Agency should only accept those who can speak reasonable English to start out with.
Do you know what is like to live with someone that you can't communicate with? I tell you, it will never work for those who can't hack English, and learning on the job will not be acceptable by most employer regardless of what they said.
To 6:12AM
Do you feel proud that these dirt poor Cambodian women will clean toilet for foreigner!
I can't stand poor and stupid Cambodian women and I will tell you that it is painful to be stupid and poor and thank in part to your leader AH HUN SEN Vietcong slave government!
Yes, 6:46, I am very proud of all women who preferred to clean toilets over prostituting on the street.
To 7:16AM
What do you expect this is AH HUN SEN achievement after 30 years the fall of the Khmer Rouge regime!
Now dirt poor Cambodian women have only two choices and that is become a housemaid or a street prostitute! This glorious achievement by any Vietcong standard! Only stupid people would be proud of such thing and you are one of them!
Wrong, PM did not have 30 years. You have been hanging around with Sam Rainsy for too long, bro.
I say 12 to 15 years top. Before that, the country was in chaos and without government. Who the heck can do business in that condition.
Now, our people are healthier and live longer, HIV/AIDS are dropping, business are growing, people (not all people) start to getting jobs. But it will be a while before all will have job because we also have population growth to reckon with, but the exponential growth will overtake the population growth by 2016.... Thus, these maid will soon to have other choices (maybe 2020). Get the picture?
This is the future of Khmer children. SAD!!!
The jobs they doing is no different than what these retarded gorillas are doing overseas, particularly in the U.S.
Yep, you can say that again!
What is a hypocrite?
To 4:10PM
Who can blame AH HUN SEN Vietcong slave mother fucker for sleeping with the Vietcong government for 10 years since 1979! AH HUN SEN Vietcong slave knew that the Vietcong occupation of Cambodia is illegal according to international law!
Since AH HUN SEN Vietcong slave was in power since 1979 and he has the responsibility for all the condition that exist in Cambodia and up to now!
AH HUN SEN must take responsibility for what is happening to Cambodia and if not and the only way out is to commit suicide!
What are you, blind (4:10)? We are taking responsibility for everything, and you ain't gonna steal any credit from us.
We liberated the country from total destruction, we saved millions of lives, we created new roads and bridges, we enlarged most of our cities over a factor of 2, ..., and the list go on and on.
What more can anyone want?
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