RM12,000 for a maid

KUALA LUMPUR: The critical shortage of foreign maids and demand from desperate employers have pushed the employment fees so high that an upfront sum in the five-figure region is now a must.
Checks show that a recruitment agency asked for RM12,075 for a Filipino maid while another said it would cost RM11,900 for a Cambodian maid.
Malaysian Association of Foreign Maid Agencies acting president Jeffrey Foo said foreign maid agencies were charging outrageous fees, causing local agencies to hike up their fees as well.
Meanwhile, an officer at the Indonesian embassy urged Malaysians not to count on his country for maids.