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| Indonesian officials assure HK there is no plan to charge employers more |
The
Indonesian government has belied claims by a group of employment agencies
that Hong Kong employers will have to pay around $5,000 more when hiring its
nationals to work as domestic helpers in the city.
This
was according to Hong Kong’s Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Chris Sun, after
meeting with the Acting Indonesian Consul General, Slamet Noegroho today.
In
a statement, Sun said, "The Acting Consul-General clarified at the meeting
that there is no change to the cost structure of fees for arranging IDHs to
work in Hong Kong. As to the information communicated by the Indonesian
Manpower Placement Agency Association (Aspataki) with employment agencies in
Hong Kong last week, the Acting Consul-General also stated that the Aspataki does
not represent the Indonesian Government.”
Sun
also said Noegroho assured him that the Indonesian government’s policies and
regulations remain the same, and issues concerning the employment of Indonesian
DHs in Hong Kong will continuously be discussed by the two sides as before.
The
assurance was made after Sun told the Acting Consul General that to maintain
the cordial and mutually beneficial relationship between Hong Kong and Jakarta,
the Indonesian side should not unilaterally introduce changes that would
increase the burden on the city’s employers and affect the employment
opportunities of its nationals here.
Sun
sought the meeting after a delegation from Aspataki said at a news conference last
week that because of Jakarta’s implementation of a no-placement fee policy for
Indonesian domestic helpers, the fee previously charged to the workers would be
passed on to employers.
The
Aspataki members also said they had the blessing of the Indonesian government
in announcing the policy change.
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| Sun with the Cambodian CG |
Meanwhile,
Sun also met with the top officials of Cambodia and Bangladesh in Hong Kong, to
discuss the government’s plan to widen the sources of FDHs in Hong Kong.
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| ..and the Bangladeshi CG (left) |
Sun
told Israt Ara and Pech Puthisathbopeaneaky, Consuls General of Bangladesh and
Cambodia, respectively, that their nationals are welcome to work in Hong Kong.
