KOTA KINABALU, Sept 5 (Bernama) -- The Sabah government hopes that the second reading of the Sabah Labour Ordinance (Amendment) Bill 2024, in the Dewan Rakyat this October, will gain unanimous backing from all Members of Parliament (MPs).
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said that the Sabah Labour Ordinance (Amendment) Bill 2024 was tabled for the first reading in the Dewan Rakyat on July 17.
He stated that the amendment will provide employers and workers in Sabah with clearer and more structured guidance, fostering improved industrial relations in a more harmonious and conducive manner for all parties involved.
“The state government fully endorses the amendment of the bill, as one of its 16 key points of the amendment addresses human rights, labour rights, and the eradication of discrimination
“The amendment outlines offences and penalties for employers or any parties involved in human trafficking, forced labour, and child labour,” he said today.
He said this when officiating the 2024 Convention on Combating Human Trafficking and Forced Labour Crimes, here, which was also attended by Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
He noted that this aligns with the government's decision to ratify Protocol 29 of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), reinforcing Malaysia's pledge to eradicate forced labour.
He stressed that human trafficking and forced labour crimes must be addressed prudently within the framework of existing laws and policies, to ensure these issues do not escalate at both state and international levels.
The Chief Minister also underscored the state's firm stance on combating crime, emphasising that effective cooperation and coordination, between state and federal government agencies, non-governmental organisations, and local authorities, are crucial in this fight.
“Sabah's geographical position, sharing borders with Indonesia and the Philippines, facilitates cross-border travel, which in turn increases the state's vulnerability to migration, human trafficking, and forced labour activities,” he said.
-- BERNAMA
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