New cost structure on Indonesian domestic workers to be announced in April

PENDANG: The new cost structure for the hiring of Indonesian domestic workers in Malaysia will only be announced after both countries sign the memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the matter next month.

Deputy Human Resources Minister Datuk Awang Hashim said the government was not ruling out the possibility there could be a hike in costs.

"It (cost) may or may not increase, we will review it from time to time.

"The RM7,800 cost structure stated before is the old one based on the previous cost agreed to by the 9th Working Group in Sept 2013 under an MoU which expired in 2016," he told reporters after a visit to the project site of the Pendang Hospital here today.

Also present were Kedah Public Works Department director Ibrahim Ahmad and State Health director Dr Othman Warijo.

Meanwhile, Awang who is also Pendang MP, said construction of the new Pendang Hospital, located in Kampung Banggol Pauh, is 95 per cent complete.

He said once operational, the hospital will be able to provide medical services to over 100,000 residents from the district and its surrounding areas.

-- BERNAMA