KUALA LUMPUR, July 13 (Bernama) -- Malaysia has agreed on four issues on Indonesian housemaids, namely one day off per week, insurance coverage, improving the standard contract, and monthly or regular salary payment.

Human Resource Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam said these were the only areas that both countries had agreed upon following discussions several months ago, while the other issues would be discussed at the next meeting.

"The date (of the meeting) has been deferred as they requested. (The meeting)... not this Wednesday," he said after launching the Asia e-Learning Conference, here, Monday.

The bilateral meeting, he added, would involve him and Indonesian Labour Minister Erman Suparno in Kuala Lumpur by the end of this month.

The meeting comes in the wake of Indonesia's announced decision to stop sending housemaids to Malaysia until this coming meeting to discuss a new migrant worker agreement following reported cases of maid abuse.

"The discussion will be continual. We will agree on areas which we think we can agree on and we are also asking them to fulfil some of our requests, so that we can create an environment which both sides are happy about," Dr Subramaniam said.

On e-education, that is, online learning and CD-based learning which allows individuals to access courses without being bound by time, space and level, he said the government hoped that all Malaysians could utilise it but did not set a target.

On the 11 "goodies" announced by Datuk Seri Najib Razak in conjunction with his 100th day as prime minister, Dr Subramaniam these were for the good of the people.

"This was to inform the people that the government would always put the needs and interests of the people first," he said.

-- BERNAMA