Anita Rachman – The government has suspended sending more maids and other informal sector workers to Malaysia until the two countries meet to settle problems with their current labor agreement.

Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Erman Suparno said there was an immediate ban on sending more people to work in Malaysia's informal sector until both countries agreed to sit down and review their 2006 memorandum of understanding.

The ban only applies to maids, construction and plantation workers. An official letter outlining the decision was to be sent on Friday to placement agencies, ministries and agencies involved with migrant workers.

The ban followed reports of abuse of Indonesian workers in Malaysia. One of them was maid Siti Hajar, who claimed she was physically abused by her employer and not paid for three years.

"We are likely to meet in the middle of July, after the presidential election," Erman said, adding he was waiting for the Malaysian ambassador to Indonesia to open the talks on the ban.

"We will also talk with related ministers in Malaysia," he said, including the ministries of human resources, home affairs and public works.

Proposed amendments to the memorandum would include clauses requiring Malaysian employers to give Indonesian workers a day off each week and also provisions on minimum leave, pay, political, educational and social rights.

Erman said Indonesia also would insist that workers have the right to retain their passports. Passports of migrant workers are often held by the employers. The government would also try to fix the recruitment system by gradually ending the employment of illegal workers in Malaysia.

Erman said Indonesia would ask the Malaysian government to impose penalties on citizens who employ illegal migrant workers.

He said thousands of migrant workers who were now ready to be sent to Malaysia, especially those who had paid for their training, could consider some options offered by the government."There are many opportunities here in the country, and also some vacancies in other countries. No need to worry," he said.

Erman said he was confident his ministry would receive an early response from the Malaysians for discussions. "I want to be optimistic," he said.

Indonesian ambassador to Malaysia Da'i Bachtiar said the placement of migrant workers would continue only when the demands were met. "Malaysia seems willing to accept our proposal," he said.