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BEST COMMENT OF THE WEEK: WILL NAJIB TELL JOKOWI THAT THEY MEANT ALL MAIDS?

Will Najib say “they meant ALL maids”? Ahead of Jokowi visit, ‘racist’ vacuum ad blows up storm in Jakarta http://buff.ly/1zaTIve

RoboVac Malaysia is a company based in Kota Damansara, Selangor, selling robotic vacuums, floor scrubbers, floor mops and swimming pool cleaners.

Indonesian maids had formed nearly 90 per cent of the Malaysia’s domestic helpers before the 2009 moratorium here, but remain the most popular supplier of such workers to Malaysia due to similar language and other cultural habits.

The freeze was lifted in 2011, but employers still have difficulty obtaining Indonesian workers due to scarcity and high costs.

http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/ahead-of-jokowi-visit-racist-vacuum-ad-blows-up-storm-in-jakarta?utm_content=buffera24b5&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

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THE INDONESIANS ARE ANGRY! The Indonesian Parliament is furious. Their government is enraged. Wait till the maids hear about it!

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Our diplomat tries to pacify Indonesians…

Star

Friday February 6, 2015 MYT 7:19:45 AM

Envoy: Ad in bad taste, will not sour ties

by razak ahmad

PETALING JAYA: A firm’s banner advertisement for a robot vacuum cleaner which urged consumers to sack their Indonesian maids in no way reflects public sentiment in Malaysia, said the country’s ambassador to Jakarta.

Ambassador Datuk Seri Zahrain Mohamed Hashim said he was confident that the advertisement, which went viral two days before the arrival of Indonesian president Joko Widodo to Malaysia, would not affect bilateral relations.

“We need and appreciate Indo­nesian domestic helpers, so there is no reason why Malaysians would look down upon or belittle them.

“I believe that this is the view of nearly everyone in Malaysia and we consider this advertisement as being in very bad taste,” he said when contacted.

http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2015/02/06/Envoy-Ad-in-bad-taste-will-not-sour-ties/

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CLARIFICATION

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RoboVac website defaced following ‘racist’ ad row

Published: February 5, 2015 06:16 PM

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 5 ― The website of robotic vacuum supplier RoboVac Malaysia was defaced today, believed to be the work of Indonesian hackers, after an advertisement telling buyers to “fire your Indonesian maid” drew outrage in the republic.

Just hours after Indonesian President Joko Widodo touched down for an official three-day visit here today, the website robovacmalaysia.com was replaced with a black site with white text urging for the company to “be nice” to Indonesian domestic workers.

“Please be nice to our sisters, they have family, they have kids. They are all need to eat, need to school, need to live, not like your rob-bot [sic],” said the text labelled as “Warning”.

“Don’t forget we are Indonesian people will protect them. Your advertisement is not very funny at all. You drop our people dignity at your feet. Thank you. : )”

The title tag was also replaced by the text “Save KPK & save Polri”, most probably referring to the Indonesian Corruption Eradication Commission and its police.

http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/robovac-website-defaced-following-racist-ad-row

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Corvan Technology, the sole distributor of Neato Robotics in Malaysia, says, “We didn’t do it!”

They blame an ‘unauthorised’ dealer.

http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2015/02/04/Vacuum-Ad-Distributor/

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Star

Wednesday February 4, 2015 MYT 11:03:19 PM

‘Offensive’ vacuum cleaner ad the work of unauthorised dealer, distributor says

by l. suganya

PETALING JAYA: The distributor of a robotic vacuum cleaner, which came under fire for an advertisement allegedly insulting to Indonesian maids, has said the ad was the work of an unauthorised dealer and that the company does not condone negative or offensive promotional efforts.

Corvan Technology, in a statement on Wednesday, said that it was the sole distributor of Neato Botvac Robotic Vacuum and that it had not authorised the advertisement or the dealer.

“As the sole distributor of Neato Robotics in Malaysia, Corvan Technology and its authorised dealers stand by a strong moral and ethical code which does not condone negative or offensive advertising and promotional efforts,” said the statement.

The company also advised its customers to be wary of such dealers.

http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2015/02/04/Vacuum-Ad-Distributor/

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ROL
Republika Online

Parliament protests Malaysia’s Fire Your Indonesian Maid Ads

Wednesday, 04 February 2015, 19:17

Anggota DPR Fraksi PDIP, Rieke Diah Pitaloka

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA — House of Representatives protests an advertisement in Malaysia which features a phrase saying ‘Fire Your Indonesian Maid Now’. The statement is considered insulting Indonesia.

A member of Commission IX at the House of Representatives Rieke Diah Pitaloka said that the statement contained racial and hatred contents toward Indonesian workers in Malaysia. “The ads can stain international human rights agreement,” Pitaloka said on Wednesday, February 4.

The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) Politician said that Malaysia must stop the advertisement. The company issued the advertisement, RoboVac, which sells robotic vacuum cleaner, must also apologize to Indonesia.

Deputy Speaker of Commission I at the House of Representatives, Tantowi Yahya, also said that the advertisement insulted Indonesian workers. “It seems like Indonesians who need jobs. It is them who need us,” Yahya said. He explained that the concept of manpower between Indonesia and Malaysia was based on mutual relations.

http://www.republika.co.id/berita/en/international/15/02/04/nj8te8-parliament-protests-malaysias-fire-your-indonesian-maid-ads

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Indonesians fury over ‘Fire your Indonesian maid‘ ad – http://ow.ly/Is1eC 

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They not a good neighbor after all “@kompascom: KBRI Malaysia Laporkan Iklan “Fire Your Indonesian Maid” ke Polisi http://kom.ps/AFpayS “

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Herman Prayitno, the Indonesian ambassador to Malaysia protested the advertisement saying that the Robovac Malaysia is insensitive and causes trouble to the Indonesians.

“I want the advertisement to be banned, not even to be displayed anywhere in Robovac manufacturing company,” he demanded

Jakarta Govenor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama today vented his frustration over a Malaysian firm’s advertisement deemed insult to Indonesian domestic workers.

The vaccuum cleaner advertisement with the words ‘Fire Your Indonesian Maid Now!’ is seen as demeaning to Indonesian domestic workers and the republic, and is fodder for what is escalating into a diplomatic row.

“How can you paint (the issue) in such a way? The slogan ‘Fire Indonesian Maid Now’ is just too much,” the governor better known as Ahok is quoted by Indonesian media Metronews.com as saying.

The former Belitung Timur regent urged both the neighbouring country leaders to solve the issue as soon as possible to avoid straining the countries’ bilateral relationship.

http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/288303

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Pricetag Indonesian in Malaysia Looking, “Fire Your Indonesian Maid Now” What is Purpose?? Do you Battle ask?? Or..

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Jakarta Post

RI Embassy in KL protests
advertisement discrediting
Indonesians

Ads from the company RoboVac (Photo: Facebook)

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