While we understand the concerns of employers with regard to domestic helpers leaving Singapore on their own, we should not overreact to the recent case of a domestic helper who is alleged to have run away after her employers were murdered (Make maids get consent before leaving S'pore, by Miss Low Sock Heng; June 24).

Requiring domestic helpers to seek consent from employers before leaving the country may not solve the problem of them running away after committing a crime.

We should leave this to the authorities to sort out.

Domestic helpers should not be denied their freedom to travel.

However, they should be properly educated on their responsibilities when engaging in such travel.

The Foreign Domestic Worker Association for Social Support and Training (Fast) advocates that all domestic workers should be properly briefed on the protocols when leaving the country, whether they are leaving for their home country or taking short trips on their own.

Fast is prepared to include this briefing in our Onboarding and Integration Programme to help domestic helpers understand the issues involved when embarking on trips, no matter how short.

Seah Seng Choon

President

Foreign Domestic Worker Association for Social Support and Training