Many complaints in Penang on foreign workers in housing schemes

Penang has received thousands of complaints by local residents about foreigners occupying their housing schemes, said state executive councillor Jagdeep Singh Deo.

He said the residents have expressed disappointment with the deluge of foreigners flooding their neighbourhood.

“Some of the complaints I have received have stated more than half (50 percent) of the housing schemes are occupied by foreign workers.

“As far back in 2013 when I took office, I have made stern announcements that renting out these affordable housing units (low and medium cost) are not allowed even to locals, let alone foreigners,” saids Jagdeep at a press conference today.

He said it was unfortunate that Penang has to face such social ills, like Selangor.

Jagdeep cited a case in Selangor where four Myanmarese were killed and two injured due to a gang fight among the foreign workers.

He said following his announcement that low and medium cost units cannot be rented out, several stakeholders in the industry have approached him.

They lamented about not having any place to house their workers if such units were not rented out, Jagdeep said.

So on July 2015, the state government formulated guidelines for the construction of workers dormitories, he noted.

These are in compliance with international guidelines such as Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition (EICC).

Multinational companies have to adhere to the EICC to house their employees, Jagdeep said.

“I want to stress that any application for the development of such workers dormitories must comply with our guidelines,” said the DAP Dato Keramat assemblyperson.

Provide social and rest facilities

The guidelines include security vetting for workers by government agencies, their particulars to be given to the immigration department, national security council, and police.

Companies are also required to install security alarm system and emergency lighting, 24-hour internal patrolling and installing of CCTV at strategic areas.

Security booths are required to be enacted at all entrance and exit points, and qualified personnel are to be hired to control the dormitory areas.

The guidelines also require the company to use biometric system to monitor movement of workers.

Facilities like multipurpose hall, canteen, rest areas, TV and reading rooms, laundry and convenience stores, ATM machines, postal box and sick bays are to be provided in the dormitories.

“These will make dormitories self-sufficient and reduce the need for workers to exit the area to access such facilities, which in turn will achieve our purpose of reducing social ills caused by them among the local residents,” Jagdeep said.

So far, five applications for workers dormitory have been submitted in Permatang Damar Laut (2.08 acres, 5,000 beds) in island’s southern post, Juru (8.6 acres, 6,102 beds), Bukit Minyak (4.4 acres, 6,642 beds) Permatang Tinggi (4.3 acres, 4,896 beds) and Valdor industrial area (6.01 acres, 3,640 beds) in Seberang Perai.

The projects were approved between April 28 last year to March 8, this year.

Jagdeep said the projects will cater only for 10 percent of the workforce, as there are reportedly about 200,000 foreign workers in Penang.- Mkini