KUALA LUMPUR – Foreign workers whose accommodations are deemed inappropriate for living will be immediately transferred to temporary centralised labour quarters, such as hotels, with the cost to be borne by the employers.
Failure by the employers’ to comply will see them face a fine of up to RM200,000 or a maximum of three years in prison or both, said Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan.
He said this is among several amendments to the Workers’ Minimum Standards of Housing and Amenities Act 1990 (Act 446) that have been made through an emergency ordinance.
It was gazetted yesterday and will take effect throughout the period of the emergency.
In an online press conference, Saravanan said the ordinance gives the power to the Labour Department director-general to issue an order to employers to replace, change, or improve foreign workers’ accommodations that do not meet the ministry’s requirements.
The director-general can also order the workers to be moved to a separate location immediately with the cost of accommodation and transportation to and from their workplace to be paid by the employers.
“These temporary accommodation packages will include a rental cost of RM200 and utility of RM20 a month for each employee. The cost for transportation is estimated at RM50 a month.”
Saravanan said the ordinance also allows Act 446, which previously did not cover Sabah and Sarawak, to be expanded to include the East Malaysian states.
Additionally, the ordinance gives the minister the authority for devolution of his power under the same act to officers in other agencies.
“These include all agencies under the Human Resources Ministry, the Works Ministry, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry, Home Ministry, Housing and Local Government Ministry, and the International Trade and Industry Ministry.”
Saravanan said enforcement will prioritise 75,000 employers with paid foreign labour, with focus to be placed in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, and Johor, where there is a high number of foreign workers.
“The three sectors with high positive case numbers that will be given priority are manufacturing, construction, and services.”
Saravanan said these initiatives were taken by the ministry to ensure Covid-19 infections among foreign workers can be reduced.
The minister said two new regulations under Act 446 have been enacted to curb the spread of Covid-19 among foreign workers.
The first is to compel employers to provide decent accommodation to all paid foreign workers, except domestic workers, while the second regulation will allow all offences under the act to be compounded.
Meanwhile, the minister warned that employers who do not get their foreign workers inoculated once vaccines are available will be deemed to have violated Act 446.
“We advise all employers to get their workers vaccinated at public hospitals when the national immunisation programme is implemented,” he said. – The Vibes, February 18, 2021
