JTKSM Finds Foreign Workers With Poor Housing In Cameron Highlands

CAMERON HIGHLANDS, Oct 7 (Bernama) -- A cramped room in poor accommodation served as the living quarters of an Indonesian couple who were inspected during an Integrated Operation by the special enforcement team from the Department of Labour Peninsular Malaysia (JTKSM), carried out by the Perak Labour Department (JTK) here today.

Hamidi, 28, and his wife Mutimatul Hasanah, 27, were among 14 local workers and 63 foreign workers from Indonesia and Bangladesh who were checked in the special enforcement operation that began with inspections at 9.30 am today.

JTKSM deputy director-general (operations) Betty Hasan said her party conducted inspections on nine employers in the construction, services and agriculture sectors to ensure full compliance with the country's labour laws.

“We want to enforce the act, we want to see how employers comply with the law because we do provide labour education but we find during inspections that many employers are not compliant.

“For example, cash payment of wages, poor accommodation lacking basic amenities, worker safety and essential facilities are not taken into account by employers, that is why we want to take enforcement action against employers,” she said at a press conference here today.

A total of 80 personnel were involved in the operation, including the Council for Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (MAPO), Malaysian Immigration Department (JIM), police, Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) and Social Security Organisation (Socso).

In the operation, a total of 28 investigation papers were opened based on offences identified by the departments and agencies involved, in line with the provisions of the law under their respective jurisdictions

JTKSM In a statement said among the breaches detected were under Section 24D, Section 24J, Regulation 4 (2) and Regulation 4 (3) under the Employees’ Minimum Standards of Housing, Accommodation and Amenities Act 1990 (Act 446)

Other offences found were also violations under Section 25A, Section 63A and Regulation 8 and Regulation 9 of the Employment Act 1955 [Act 265] and Section 43 of the National Wages Consultative Council Act 2011 [Act 732].

“The employer paid the salary in cash and failed to give a business notice to the JTK and there was no work contract and no salary statement given to the existing employees and the salary payment was not in accordance with the minimum wage under PGM 2024.

“Action will be taken on all these offences detected by opening investigation papers for compound action and prosecution in accordance with the relevant acts,” said the statement.

-- BERNAMA