The issue of domestic maids working illegally for multiple households against their will has become a hot topic on social media.

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) clarified its stance on this illegal deployment (550 complaints yearly of maids illegally deployed from 2017 to 2019, Sept 9). However, there are maids who are willing to work illegally as part-time maids during their rest days.

MOM should clamp down on this and take stern action against the cleaning agents that hire them, as well as the maids who work illegally.

Some time ago, I contacted an agent for a part-time maid to clean my house on weekends. I was surprised when the maid told me she worked full time for her employer but did sideline jobs during her days off on weekends. I immediately rejected her service.

I then advertised in the classified ads for a part-time maid. Those who responded were full-time maids holding work permits, but none was a Singaporean or PR.

This indicates that there are plenty of maids working part time illegally, which raises the question: Who is liable for this illegal deployment? Would the innocent employers be liable? Would the person who hires them be liable?

The cleaning agencies should be taken to task for hiring them to be deployed as part-time maids. The agents are breaking the law by abetting a foreigner to work on illegal terms. Households which depend on part-time maids should stop using them and report the agents to the authorities if the part-time maids are already employed full time at another household.

The selfish actions of the agents and part-time maids could saddle their innocent employers with heavy fines and a ban on hiring other maids, while those who use their part-time services may face similar penalties.

Cheng Choon Fei