PETALING JAYA, March 1 — Malaysia will ask Indonesia to reconsider its plan to reintroduce a moratorium on allowing their citizens to work here as domestic workers, New Straits Times (NST) reported today.

Quoting the Malaysian ambassador to Indonesia Datuk Seri Zahrain Mohamed Hashim, the report said the issue will be brought up at a meeting to be led by the Human Resources Ministry scheduled for April.

Zahrain reportedly said Putrajaya will propose a standard operating procedure (SOP) allowing Indonesian maids to come over legally and avoid being exploited.

He pointed out that there would be little protection for foreigners if their employment was illegal and this would only open them to more abuse and exploitation, and an SOP can minimise the risk of their mistreatment and the chances of the women becoming human trafficking victims.

He said the existing memorandum of understanding on the recruitment of maids had expired in 2016 and that a new one must be drawn up.

Zahrain said Malaysia wanted to prevent cases similar to Adelina Lisao’s, 21, who died following alleged abuse and mistreatment by her employer.

Her death prompted Jakarta to consider imposing the moratorium.

Her abuser had been charged with murder while the alleged abuser’s daughter had been charged with hiring a maid illegally.