Lastly, SUHAKAM hopes for better recognition of domestic employees and suggests that the Minister uses his powers under Section 102 to make better regulations to ensure that the process of recruiting migrant workers – whether for domestic purposes or otherwise - is ethical and in line with human rights standards. This would include transparency in written contracts that clearly explain the terms of employment and conditions of work. It must also be in a language the worker understands. The government must also ensure that domestic workers have access to some form of complaints mechanism especially when their rights are allegedly violated, or their contracts breached. The mechanism must be equipped with an adequate mandate to resolve the issue, including a provision to impose penalties on employers. To this end, the government must expeditiously amend laws and policies to strengthen the overall protection of domestic workers and migrant workers. As such, SUHAKAM salutes the proposed new laws and amendments (in the Accommodation and Employees’ Housing Bill 2018 and Employees’ Housing Regulations 2018, Workers’ Minimum Standards of Housing and Amenities Act 1990 and Employment Act 1955) that will help uphold workers’ rights. They will also be a milestone in the long journey to ratify ILO conventions concerning the Abolition of Forced Labour, 1957 (No. 105), Discrimination (Employment and Occupation), 1958 (No. 111), Employment Policy, 1964 (No. 122) and Labour Inspection (Agriculture), 1969 (No. 129). With these amendments, Malaysia is taking a step forward to achieving the fundamental principles in the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. However, SUHAKAM hopes that improvements in the Trades Union Act 1959 and Children and Young Persons (Employment) Act 1966 for freedom of association, effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining and the effective abolition of child labour will also be looked into. f) 62 Older Persons Bill SUHAKAM attended a meeting on 3 May 2018 called by the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development (MWFCD) on the development of a specific Act for older persons in Malaysia. At the meeting, the researchers from the University of Malaya presented the outcome of their studies on the magnitude and consequences of elder abuse and neglect in the country as well as the gaps in the existing national laws relating to older persons in Malaysia. SUHAKAM ANNUAL REPORT 2018