KULIM, Feb 26 — The Human Resource Ministry has inspected 3,652 employers involving 29,042 units of workers’ accommodations nationwide under the Workers’ Minimum Standards of Housing and Amenities Act 1990 (Act 446) since early February.
Deputy Human Resource Minister Datuk Awang Hashim said of the total, 317 investigation papers have been opened for further action, including for failing to provide convenient and conducive accommodations for workers in order to curb the spread of COVID-19.
“We focus on (workers’) health and causes of the COVID-19 transmission, and the enforcement of Act 446 is among the government’s effort to deal with the pandemic in this country,” he told reporters after an integrated operation at two premises here, today.
Among the agencies involved in the operation were the Social Security Organisation (Socso), state Health Department, International Trade and Industry Ministry, Royal Malaysia Police, Immigration Department and Kulim Municipal Council.
Awang said the two premises have not recorded any accident last year and have appointed occupational safety and health coordinators to solve safety issues.
He said, however, there were improvements that need to be made such as conducting risk assessments for activities that have not been evaluated, and fully comply with the standard operating procedures to contain the COVID-19 transmission.
Meanwhile, in SEREMBAN, the Negeri Sembilan Labour Department has opened three investigation papers on an employer of a factory in Sungai Gadut, here for violating Act 446.
State Human Resources, Plantation and Non-Islamic Affairs Committee chairman J. Arul Kumar said the factory’s workers’ accommodation had been inspected on Feb 9 before 1,432 workers were tested positive for COVID-19, two days ago.
Earlier, Arul Kumar said 11 investigation papers have been opened on employers in the state with a majority of them were from the manufacturing and construction sectors, since Act 446 was enforced on Sept 1 last year.
Besides that, he said the state government has approved the guidelines on the minimum standard of worker’s housing, accommodation and facilities provided by employers in Negeri Sembilan to solve various issues including foreign workers’ accommodation.
