PUTRAJAYA, Feb 8 — The government is optimistic that the first batch of Indonesian maids will arrive in Malaysia by early March after the lifting of a two-year freeze, Bernama Online quoted the Human Resource Minister as saying today.

Datuk S. Subramaniam told the news portal that Malaysia had met all conditions agreed upon by both countries.

A total of 121 Malaysian employment agencies will work with their Indonesian counterparts in the placement of maids from the republic to Malaysia from next month, he added.

The minister, however, could not confirm the actual number of maids expected as the number of applications in Indonesia is currently unknown.

Indonesia officially withdrew the moratorium on the sending of maids to Malaysia on December 1 last year.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono met in Bali at the end of last year as part of efforts to resolve the issue amicably.