Indonesian Helpers

[Stu79]

One former colleague, of doubtful parentage, was quite proud that he had gotten an Indonesia helper for "only" $2,000 pm. He said he had found her through a network of local-only employers who were doing the same thing.

What a despicable human being!

[Star Gazer]

not only do locals prefer indonesian helpers over filipinas because of lower wages but also they could get away with very few annual leave and holiday days.

[squid]

Maybe the OP of that thread got Indonesian and Filipinos mixed up. I read that article too and I'm sure it said that more of the Filipinos have degrees and come from middle class backgrounds.

All domestic helpers are liable to abuse given the nature of their positions: some "employers" just drive them like slaves. It makes me sick.

Regarding the Indo consulate's complicity in the agency racket: yes, the Indo consulate is bad news, as is any Indonesian government office anywhere in the world. Some cultures just seem to produce a class of corrupt bureaucrats, and given the poverty and lower levels of education among many rural Indonesians, the corrupt ones take advantage...e.g. funds for a new road will trickle through many fingers before a small percentage makes its way to the design/build phase, resulting in what rural Indo has now -- crap roads.

BUT: the abuse of Indonesian dometic helpers by many (the article in question mentioned ~30% of helpers in HK) isn't limited to lower wages: I have heard of helpers who have no place to sleep but the kitchen floor, some who are not given any bedsheets/pillows, etc., many who are verbally abused on a daily basis, etc., etc.


I should also point out that the abuse of HK-based domestic helpers is not limited to abuse/ripoffs from "employers". Many Indonesian helpers are desperate for some kind of company and end up dating unscrupulous men who steal HKID cards, then demand money for its return. This seems to be a trick played by lower class African and So. Asian men from what I've heard. Also, once these helpers get a holiday back home, they are abused by the Indonesians themselves: domestic helpers are sought out by employees of Jakarta airport, ( a rubbish airport in my opinion), who are paid a few rupiah by private bus companies. The helpers are told by these uniformed scum that they must use a seperate exit from the terminal and take specific buses back to thier homes, which is a lie and totally illlegal (not that this makes a dfference to a young lady intimidated by a uniformed official). Once on these "special" buses, the helpers are often told, enroute, that they will not in fact be driven to their destination unless they pay another fee. Sexual assualts are not uncommon on those buses. I have seen airport personnel doing this at Jakarta. It is quite amazing to see such cruel and corrupt behaviour. (Meanwhile the Indonesian government protests about Malaysians mistreating domestic helpers!) BTW: I did argue with the uniformed officials and was able to gain a normal exiit from the terminal for the helper who was being intimidated. (I was also a bit intimidated by a uniformed man wearing a bunch of badges and a military hat, standing taller than my 180cm and scowling with seething hatred for my audacity - what would a smallish uneducated village girl think?)

in any case...many of these helpers have it rough. Even if we might be annoyed by the huge crowds in Causeway Bay or Central on Sundays we should remember that they are far from home (and often times children), and have no place to go but the public spaces.


thanks for reading this!

[timklip]

my understanding from the article (or maybe it was a different article, a few weeks back in the Post) was that agencies overcharging should be reported to the Labour Board for action...

[Mat]

Until they do not have better job prospect at home and until HK does not have a decent system in place for parents that work and can't be home everyday to take care of their kids the situation will keep going.

[shilo507]

The Indonesians helpers certainly do not come from the most affluent part of Indonesian society. As the SCMP article states, many come from poor rural communities in Java where their parents have been farmers.

The problem lies with the fact that Agents have to pay HKD 500K per year to the Consulate to be granted a licence to process domestic helper applications. The Agents recover this money by charging the helpers huge fees. Most of the Indonesian helpers I have spoken to had to pay up to HKD21K over 7 months for their first contract and around HKD 6K for subsequent contracts or HKD 3K for a contract renewal. However, if the girl gets terminated she runs a serious risk of being charged another HKD 21K for a new contract on top of whatever is owing from the first. It is a vicious cycle of debt and too many throw themselves at the mercy of money lenders.

The problem is exarcerbated by Agents holding onto helper's passports to ensure payment is made and in some cases actively encouraging the employer to find a new helper after the 6 months of repayments are up so that new fees are payable. They ring up and say things like 'we have a new helper who is better than your existing helper etc'. It is a sleazy business.

It is no surprise to me that these girls are willing to put up with poor working conditions or underpay just to hold on to their jobs to avoid incurring further extortionate fees. I am only surprised that this story too so long to break.

I think one thing the Indonesians could do to help themselves here is too become more organized and pro-active. They do not have the religious or legal support network of the Filipinos in HK.

[timklip]

this is the article...expressly stated by LD that anyone overcharged should contact them for action

Maid fury at illegal agency fees - The Standard

[squid]

I think one thing the Indonesians could do to help themselves here is too become more organized and pro-active. They do not have the religious or legal support network of the Filipinos in HK.

agreed, but in such a racist society as HK this will be difficult to achieve. Even an educated and blue-eyed gweilo such as myself gets racist comments: what must an uneducated village girl just arriving in a huge metropolis get?

BTW: I would point out that there are many fantastic local people who employ helpers from Indo, Philippines, and/or Thailand...

$3600 plus food is not that much money for a live-in helper, for Gawd's sake!

[hullexile]

this is the article...expressly stated by LD that anyone overcharged should contact them for action

Maid fury at illegal agency fees - The Standard

The problem is that if they complain they are likely to be terminated and then left without any money and nowhere to live.

[shilo507]

The problem is that if they complain they are likely to be terminated and then left without any money and nowhere to live.

Indeed, and still have the original debt to pay and run the risk of incurring further debt if they find a new employer. The elephant in the room is the Consulate.