KUALA LUMPUR: Human resources minister Datuk Seri Saravanan Murugan said the first batch of 10,000 Indonesian maids is expected to arrive in Malaysia after Hari Raya.

Other than Indonesia, Saravanan said he would also travel to Vietnam, Cambodia, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to discuss with his counterparts about taking in domestic helpers from these countries.

He said in a press conference today that the fee for bringing in Indonesian maids is expected to be lower than RM15,000 earlier, following the cancellation of mandatory quarantine orders. Of this amount, RM9,000 is for the expenses in Malaysia while RM4,000 to RM5,000 for the expenses in Indonesia, including bringing the maids from remote areas of Indonesia to Malaysia.

Following the introduction of RM1,500 minimum wage scheme from May 1, Saravanan said the minimum monthly pay for migrant workers will also be increased from RM1,200 now to RM1,500.