Freeze on entry of Indonesian workers: Malaysia agrees in principle to integrate system with Indonesia

He said the move was to enable both countries to have information on the entry of Indonesian workers into Malaysia.

"During our discussions with Indonesia, they suggested using the existing One Channel System in Indonesia ... for now, we, through the Home Ministry (KDN) use the Maid Online System which Indonesia claims does not provide the information on workers from Indonesia entering Malaysia.

"With the One Channel System, they will be able to monitor and following discussion with KDN, we agreed in principle to integrate the existing system with KDN and the system by Indonesia so that both countries will have the information," he said during the Ministers' Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat today.

He was responding to a supplementary question from Steven Choong Shiau Yoon (PBM-Tebrau) on the impact of the temporary freeze by Indonesia on its citizens coming to work in Malaysia and measures to address the problem.

According to Saravanan, the ministry was aware on the need by Malaysia for foreign workers and the matter would be resolved soon.

To a supplementary question from Loke Siew Fook (PH-Seremban) on whether there was a condition in the Memorandum of Understanding between Malaysia and Indonesia on the abolition of the Maid Online System, Saravanan said there was no such condition.

He said the Memorandum of Understanding between Malaysia and Indonesia on the Recruitment and Placement of Indonesian Domestic Workers was signed on April 1.

The memorandum of understanding paved the way for the entry of Indonesian workers for employment in other sectors in the country, including domestic maids.

However, last July 12, the Indonesian government announced a temporary suspension of the entry of Indonesian workers into Malaysia due to confusion that arose in the mechanism of hiring Indonesian domestic workers into the country.

Earlier, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin said discussion between the Malaysian and Indonesian government on the matter started yesterday.