HONG KONG, Nov 12: Hundreds of foreign maids marched in downtown Hong Kong on Sunday, urging the local government to abolish a policy that gives them just two weeks to find a new employer if they leave their jobs.

The procession, which included maids from Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines, also called for an end to underpayment and excessive agency fees.

''Scrap the two-week rule'' and ''stop underpayment'' read placards held by the domestic workers, who marched two hours from a downtown park to the Indonesian Consulate and finished at the local government headquarters. Organisers said 700 maids took part.

The protesters said the two-week policy has pushed them into abusive conditions, and that employment agencies arbitrarily charge them fees to renew their contracts or get a new employer.

''In many cases, especially among Indonesians, severe underpayment is linked to the excessive fees charged by recruitment agencies,'' according to a statement from the protest organisers.

According to a study conducted by Indonesian Migrant Workers Union, nearly half of all Indonesian workers in Hong Kong were underpaid, receiving an average of $192 $256 a month.

The minimum salary for foreign domestic helpers in Hong Kong is $435.

More than 216,000 foreigners work as domestic helpers in Hong Kong, of which 95 per cent were women, the organisers said. Most come from the Philippines, with smaller numbers from Indonesia, Thailand and Nepal.—AP