Govt to enforce minimum housing standards for workers from tomorrow
Published on: Wednesday, November 25, 2020
By: FMT
PUTRAJAYA: Senior Minister for Security Ismail Sabri Yaakob today said that the human resources (HR) ministry will start enforcing amendments to the Workers’ Minimum Standards of Housing and Amenities Act 1990 (Act 446) tomorrow, this coming after the rising number of Covid-19 cases linked to factory workers living in dormitories.
Amendments to the Act came into force on June 1, mandating a minimum space requirement for workers’ accommodation, basic facilities as well as safety and hygiene standards.
ADVERTISEMENT
Employers were given a grace period until Aug 31 to comply, with the HR ministry previously stating they would start enforcement on Sept 1.
“This Act aims to give workers more comfortable housing, and there are harsh fines for companies which do not comply,” Ismail said in a press conference today.
“Those (companies) which commit an offence by not providing proper housing can be fined RM50,000 per worker, which means, if there are 10 workers, they could get fined RM500,000.
“The human resources ministry today informed the National Security Council’s (MKN) meeting that enforcement will begin tomorrow, and they will make sure the Act is followed by all employers and industries.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Several businesses and associations had previously voiced their difficulties in complying with the Act, stating that it would hamper their efforts to maintain their operations and employment, especially after being severely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
There has been a spike in Covid-19 cases linked to workplaces, such as construction sites and factories, with workers often having to live in cramped conditions that has enabled the virus to spread more easily.
ADVERTISEMENT
Urging employers not to wait for instructions from the HR ministry to test workers, Ismail advised them to do so under their own initiative as it would prove to be a more cost-efficient strategy in the long-run.
On Nov 20, Ismail said that all foreign workers in every sector working in Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Penang, Sabah, KL and Labuan must undergo the RTK-Antigen test following a proposal by the HR ministry.
The cost for these tests will have to be paid by the employers.
However, for workers who contribute to Socso, their employers can claim a RM60 subsidy from the social security fund for every worker tested.
For workers who do not contribute to Socso, their employers will have to bear the full cost.
“Employers may feel they are having to spend so much on the testing, but in my opinion, it is better for them to pay for screening than having their factories shut down if Covid-19 is detected at their premises,” Ismail said.
Ismail pointed to rubber glove manufacturer Top Glove having to close 27 of their 28 factories in Meru, Klang, after a rise in cases in the Teratai cluster, which is linked to their workers.
The cluster recorded 1,511 new cases yesterday for a total of 4,036 cases.
He said that Top Glove’s workers now make up the most number of Covid-19 cases (from a single cluster) in the country.
Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
Daily Express Malaysia
