THE Mobile Labour Court will begin operations in Peninsular Malaysia this August to improve access to justice for workers and employers, particularly in rural and remote areas.
Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri R Ramanan said the initiative will start with three mobile units and an allocation of RM5 million, before being expanded to Sabah and Sarawak.
He said the approach allows hearings to be conducted closer to the public, reducing travel costs and logistical challenges associated with attending Labour Court proceedings, especially for rural workers.
“This initiative will make the process easier for everyone. People will no longer need to go to court; the court will come to them,” he said after a working tour of the Peninsular Malaysia Department of Labour (JTKSM) in Putrajaya as reported by Bernama.
Ramanan said a rollout plan is already in place, but public awareness needs to be built on the locations and movement of the mobile courts, which is why operations will commence in August.
Ramanan said the Labour Court will also be strengthened through digitalisation, with six additional offices to be equipped with digital recording systems this year for RM1.8 million.
The offices involved are in Ipoh, Alor Setar, Muar, Rawang, Kuantan and Kuala Terengganu.
Meanwhile, Ramanan said three key labour agencies, JTKSM, the Trade Union Affairs Department and the Industrial Relations Department, will be merged to improve service delivery efficiency and the enforcement of labour laws.
He said the merger was necessary as the functions of the three departments are closely linked and form part of the same issue chain, warranting a more integrated administrative structure.
“Why separate them when the issues are interconnected? We are bringing smaller families together into a bigger family,” he said.
Ramanan noted that the move would also address the shortage of labour enforcement officers, with only about 300 officers currently serving in the peninsula and 100 in Sabah and Sarawak, which he said is insufficient to monitor the entire employment sector.
In addition, he said an Integrated Labour Management System (SPPB) powered by artificial intelligence is being developed with an allocation of RM9.25 million and is expected to be completed by 2028, in line with the government’s commitment to modernise the labour system and enhance enforcement efficiency. – January 7, 2026
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