45 employers prosecuted for violating worker housing rules - Labour Dept

 

A total of 45 employers have so far been prosecuted in court and fined a total of RM332,000 for violating the Workers’ Minimum Standards of Housing and Amenities (Amendment) Act 2019 (Act 446).

The Peninsular Malaysia Labour Department said there will be investigation papers involving 125 employers who will be prosecuted.

244 employers have been compounded RM1,806,500, the department said in a statement today.

It said most of the violations were under section 24D for placing employees in an accommodation without a certificate from the department's director-general.

Additionally, violations included providing accommodation to employes not in accordance with minimum requirements or not providing basic facilities that cannot be shared between employees.

Meanwhile, since Feb 1 until yesterday (May 27), the department inspected 18,749 employers and only 6,386, or 34 percent, had complied with accommodation regulations while 12,363 or 66 per cent were found to be non-compliant.

The department said 3,057 employers were warned to repair or improve their employees' living conditions.

Act 466 came into force in June 2020, but employers were given flexibility until Sept 1, 2020 to comply with the amendments.

- Bernama