LAST week, Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M Saravanan revealed a statistic that he said was “very worrying” some 91.1% or 1.4 million foreign workers in the country are provided with accommodation that does not comply with the provisions in the Workers’ Minimum Standards of Housing and Amenities Act 1990 (Act 446).
Simply put, nine out of 10 foreign workers in Malaysia are housed in quarters that do not meet the minimum standards of living set out under the Act. Videos circulating on social media depicting overcrowded living quarters and unsanitary conditions seem to substantiate the statistic.
But for those who have long advocated for the fair treatment of foreign workers, Saravanan’s statement hardly comes as a surprise.
321 furniture workers found packed like sardines at quarters in Muar freemalaysiatoday.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from freemalaysiatoday.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
MUAR: Employers have been urged to comply with the requirements stated in Act 446 to provide decent accommodation for their foreign workers, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Director of the Legal and Enforcement Division of the Labour Department of Peninsular Malaysia (JTK), Zaini Yaacob, said the government would not compromise with any employer who ignored or failed to comply with the requirements and specifications of the Workers’ Minimum Standards of Housing and Amenities Act 1990 (Act 446).
“For one, the employer will be subject to legal action under Section 24D (1) of Act 446 for not having a certificate of accommodation.
Bare and basic: Workers have had to make do with toilet stalls without doors and uncovered water supply at the factory’s hostel in Muar.
Govt sets SOPs for temporary on-site quarters for construction workers freemalaysiatoday.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from freemalaysiatoday.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Govt sets SOP for temporary on-site quarters for construction workers
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The Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT) has prepared a standard operating procedure (SOP) for construction firms applying to build temporary on-site housing for their workers following a spike in Covid-19 cases.
Its minister, Zuraida Kamaruddin said this was to support the enforcement of the Workers’ Minimum Standards of Housing and Amenities (Amendment) Act 2019 (Act 446), which is expected to curb the spread of disease in line with the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) Recommendation 115 (Workers Housing Recommendation, 1961).
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