Exclusive | Hong Kong employers of Indonesian domestic helpers do not need to pay ‘thousands of dollars’ more as hiring policy will stay unchanged, country’s envoy to city says
- Employers seeking domestic helpers from Indonesia should use employment agencies accredited by consulate, diplomat advises
- Jakarta manpower body sparked concern, protests saying employers would have to pay ‘thousands more’ Hong Kong dollars
Clemens Triaji Bektikusuma, Indonesia’s consul for protocol and consular affairs, advised employers to use accredited agencies to avoid being overcharged.
There were 262 employment agencies accredited by the consulate, but he knew of more than 1,000 unaccredited ones whose practices posed a risk to both workers and Hong Kong employers, he said.
His remarks cleared up recent confusion over whether employers would have to pay considerably more to hire helpers from Indonesia.
The Jakarta-based Indonesian Manpower Placement Agency Association (Aspataki) announced earlier this month that Jakarta would implement its “zero placement fee” policy fully and employers would have to pay a few thousand more Hong Kong dollars.
The news upset employers and led to a protest outside the Indonesian consulate by dozens of helpers who demanded that Jakarta tackle overcharging by placement agencies that hurt them and their employers.
