Employing domestic helper in SG - Does home country matter?

[aurorasea]

Hello all,
I am thinking of employing a domestic helper cos I will be working full-time, and prefer someone who is capable of cooking, cleaning, and looking after children.

I have visited agencies and overall they provide helpers from Philippines / Myanma / Indonesia / Thai.

Any one with experiences with hiring these people, and what are the important differences in terms of:
i) Procedures of hiring / permits / contracting etc.
ii) Attitudes, work performance and ethics
iii) Reliability, trust, honesty.
iv) communication & cultural barriers

I am a Chinese who have spent many years overseas. My expectations are considered quite reasonable but most importantly they have to be: honest (won't lie, steal, or bring strangers to home without your permission, involved in lone sharks or whatever high risk activities, add drugs to food, run away etc - this has happened before to some of my friends' maids and I was shocked), reliable, loyal & careful, interested in learning, able to communicate (English mainly, as I can't understand Malay / Thai etc), not have 'attitude problems' etc.

I know above qualities vary according to individuals and it is not fair to be stereotypical...but I have heard some scary stories about maides (more so from certain countries but maybe biased).
Just want to know from people who have employed domestic workers before to share some experiences and stories...

Thank you !

[beppi]

As in all countries in this world, the ones you mention have good and bad people, honest and dishonest, etc., etc. You can find both gems of a maid and total duds in each.
Racial stereotyping is neither fair nor helpful nor (mostly) true. Most people who use it just want to cover up an inability to make their own conclusions by accepting a "universal truth" instead.
For some people, though, religion plays a role - and it is fair to say that, if you like to eat pork, a Muslim Indonesian maid wouldn't be the best for you, or likewise a Christian Philippina if you dislike preparing late Sunday breakfasts yourself.