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"Now that the Indon maids are not coming, can the Chinese maids take their places?"

This has become another heated topic of discussion in recent days after the abrupt change of the name A(H1N1) to swine flu by some ignorant people.

Several years back, when the Chinese maids were keen to take up jobs in Malaysia, our government stopped them. But then when the policy was liberalised and the government said they could now come, Wanita MCA was fast to jump out and block the way.

Let's put aside whether Chinese maids would actually be bothered about the meagre RM600 monthly pay here, given the phenomenal growth of the Chinese economy; if we are allowed to hire maids from countries with vastly different cultures and languages such as Indonesia, Cambodia and Vietnam, why shouldn't Chinese maids be allowed to work here?

Wanita MCA claims that Chinese maids have a tendency to seduce their male employers and will likely destroy the otherwise happy families of Malaysians.

Such a presumption has undoubtedly branded "Chinese maids" as being voluptuous, flirtatious and morally depraved, and must be avoided by all means.

Such a presumption has also labelled Malaysian men as the irresponsible and licentious lot, who could be hooked away by the Chinese maids at home.

Such a hypothesis is unfair to both Chinese women as well as Malaysian men.

While there might be Chinese women soliciting for sex while working here, destroying the families of Malaysians, they may only constitute the isolated cases.

Even if there are Malaysian men forsaking their spouses for Chinese women, they are also but the minority.

Squarely rejecting Chinese maids based upon such isolated cases is not only unconvincing, but also narrow-minded.

If Wanita MCA claims to represent Chinese Malaysian women, they should have more macroscopic and positive attitude on this particular issue.

Instead of seeing the Chinese maids through tinted glasses, perhaps they should organise more learning courses and events for women, instilling in them the importance of establishing self-confidence and learning to be independent.

Women without confidence or unwilling to learn may see their husbands grabbed away not only by Chinese maids, but Indonesian maids as well.

Moreover, marriage is established upon the foundation of mutual trust and respect. If a woman is mentally independent and knowledgeable, her other half will naturally respect her and refrain from indecent ventures.

In the unfortunate event that the other half is a flirtatious man, the marriage will not last even without a domestic help at home, for he can always cruise for women somewhere else.

Every family has its own requirements for domestic helps. Some may want maids who can speak the same language as them. Now that the government has flashed the greenlight for the recruitment of Chinese maids, Malaysians should be given the opportunity to make their own choices! (By TAN POH KHENG/Translated by DOMINIC LOH/Sin Chew Daily)