Debt, abuse and isolation push domestic workers to the brink

KUALA LUMPUR: For domestic workers in Malaysia, the mental health crisis often begins not at the workplace, but at the recruiter’s door — with fees that leave them in debt before they even start work.

Suherman, a migrant worker and founding member of Serantau Malaysia, an organisation advocating for the welfare of Indonesian migrants, said domestic workers, most of whom are women, face intense pressure.

“The recruitment costs for domestic workers are extremely high, reaching up to RM15,000.

“After paying such high recruitment fees, the pressure at the workplace can be harsh,” he said.

Suherman said many distressed migrant workers share the same experience — being denied basic rights.

“We are supposed to be given one day off a week, but this does not happen.

“We are supposed to be given communication devices to contact family or friends, but this is also not provided,” he said.

Wage withholding, an illegal practice, is also common, he added.

Suherman acknowledged that while government reforms have reduced such abuses, the practices persist.

“Workers are pressured, wages are withheld and they think about their children back home who need schooling and other necessities.

“That is where mental anguish begins.”

Up to June 30, 2019, the Home Ministry recorded 129,168 registered domestic workers, of whom 72 per cent were from Indonesia (92,405) and 25 per cent from the Philippines (32,277), with the remainder from other South and Southeast Asian countries.

The International Organisation for Migration has highlighted that domestic workers are excluded from key provisions of the Employment Act, including minimum rest days, regulated working hours, annual and sick leave, overtime compensation and maternity benefits.

Among migrant workers, Suherman said domestic workers are the most vulnerable.

“Those who most commonly face mental health problems are domestic workers,” he said, adding that unlike labourers, they work alone and lack peer support.

He said emotional abuse by employers compounds the harm, as domestic workers are labelled as carriers of disease and isolated from the rest of the household.

Suherman said cost and awareness remain barriers to accessing mental health support.

Physical health coverage provided by employers, he added, is often minimal, forcing workers to pay out of pocket. There is no coverage for mental health.

At the heart of the crisis are dignified working conditions.

“Working conditions should not be overly oppressive and stigma must be reduced. If employers provide a sense of comfort, even if the work is heavy, there will be no problem,” he said.

Meanwhile, Indonesia-based migrant NGO MigrantCare’s Malaysia representative Alex Ong said his organisation has handled cases involving detention, deportation and family separation.

“We had a cleaner who complained about wage theft, was rescued but ejected from her hostel and placed in a detention centre,” Ong said.

“She was treated like a criminal, chained and handcuffed when deported.”

Others, he said, were forced into domestic work despite holding cleaner permits.

“Mental health support is hardly available to migrants,” he said, adding that NGOs are largely limited to basic counselling on legal or livelihood issues.

© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd

المصدر: New Straits Times