Household service workers are very vulnerable to abuse and this issue is a growing concern in Malaysia

A household service worker are abused psychologically (e.g. verbal abuse, racial discrimination), physically, and sexually. Some workers are forced to work for two different families, was not given a rest day, and do not receive equal salary as well. Sometimes, their employers also withhold important documents like passports and visa

The good news is that foreign household service workers (HSWs) n Malaysia who are being abused or mistreated by their employers can now easily ask for help. The Malaysian government recently set up a telephone hotline number that is available 24/7.

The Home Affairs Ministry of Malaysia offers this service after receiving the

report of an Indonesian maid who made use of  pieces of clothing to be able to get out of a 15-floor apartment in a desperate attempt to escape from a cruel employer.

On the first day of the implementation, Azura Shamsuddin, a ministry official who handles calls said, “It's our first day. So far, we've not received any complaints about maid abuse."

Once they received a complaint, the authorities will determine the best course of action to help the complainant. The Maid Abuse Hotline number is: 03 - 2052 0999.