KUALA LUMPUR: Those who have information about cleaning companies deploying their workers for house-to-house services or as domestic maids must report this illegal activity to the Human Resources Ministry.
The ministry said it will investigate all reports lodged on such cases via the Labour Department, which would then take the necessary action should there be enough evidence on the offences.
"We always encourage anyone to come forward and report should they found this kind (providing house-to-house cleaning service) of illegal activities," the ministry said in a brief reply to the New Straits Times.
Last week, the New Sunday Times revealed that irresponsible cleaning companies were abusing the subcontractor system, which was only allowed for cleaning companies for commercial purposes. The companies would illegally "extend" the subcontractor system by ordering their employees to work in households.
MigrantCare country representative Alex Ong had said unscrupulous agents are trafficking Indonesian school-leavers and forcing them to work as these house-to-house cleaners despite the business being unregulated.
The victims, typically from technical schools in Indonesia, are promised jobs in electrical factories, only to discover that they have been deceived on reaching this country.
They are then forced to work as cleaners as they are without money.
Some of them are sold off as full-time domestic workers to Malaysian employers by the agents, who are also owners of these cleaning companies.
Ong called for the government to strictly regulate house-to-house cleaning services and allow employers to apply for work permits for domestic workers sold to them by unscrupulous cleaning service companies.