KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 3 — Employers considering to hire foreign domestic helpers directly would do well to weigh the potential problems against the savings to be had from doing so, said Malaysian Association of Foreign Maid Agencies (Papa).

Papa president Jeffrey Foo said while employers could save up to half the usual costs for hiring maids, there were possible complications that could wipe out the savings and even cost more in the long run.

These range from selecting maids without the necessary training and experience, to workers who quit unexpectedly after being brought over.

“Number one, it is not that easy to find a person who wants to work for you. You might have to go through illegal foreign agencies and there is no guarantee that you would get a replacement if a maid runs away.

“If let’s say you paid RM7,000 in total and end up with a helper with zero training, you might even have to pay another RM7,000 to get another maid. That is already RM14,000 down the drain,” he told Malay Mail.

Foo was commenting on remarks by Deputy Home Minister Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed who reminded employers that the absence of middlemen meant that full responsibility for hiring and retaining the maids rested on them.

In a Berita Harian report yesterday, the Pulai MP said that while the new Maid Online system introduced by the government for the direct hiring of maids was cheaper than using an agent, employers were responsible for every aspect of the process.

Foo added the new option offered by the government, while helpful in lowering initial hiring costs, should be evaluated with care by potential employers.

“Since it is a facility given by the government, of course we have to accept it, but whether or not it will bring about rewarding situations for the employer is a different story.

“The public needs to know because, later on, if something goes wrong, they cannot blame the government and they cannot guarantee the maid for you.

“It may be an additional channel, but it does not mean it’s the best channel. If employers can find a good maid and a good bargain, then good on them,” he said.

Starting from Monday, employers can log on to www.maid-online.imi.gov.my to apply for foreign maid permits from the Immigration Department.

It was reported that the website received 9,689 hits on the very first day of its launch.