Labour Department opens 1.7k probes against employers

 

The Peninsular Malaysia Labour Department (PMLD) opened 1,701 investigation papers against 444 employers inspected during the integrated operations conducted last year.

PMLD director-general Kamal Pardi said this involved various offences under the Employment Act 1955, the Employees’ Minimum Standards of Housing, Accommodations and Amenities Act 1990, as well as Minimum Wage Order under the National Wages Consultative Council Act 2011.

He said 421 cases have been prosecuted, resulting in fines totalling RM504,836, while 848 cases were compounded with a value of RM4,536,000.

“This year, a total of 240 operations have been conducted from January to March, involving 240 employers nationwide.

“As a result, 370 investigation papers were opened and 77 cases were prosecuted with fines amounting to RM1,000. Some 35 cases were compounded involving compound offers totalling RM425,000,” he told reporters after leading an integrated operation in Kuantan today.

Besides PMLD, the two-day operation on over 60 employers involved various departments and agencies under the Human Resource Ministry, including the Occupational Safety and Health Department, the Social Security Organisation, HRD Corp, and the ministry’s Regulatory and Enforcement Branch.

As of noon today, 26 employers in various sectors, such as manufacturing, services, retail and wholesale, and telecommunications, had been inspected.

“Some employers failed to comply with labour laws and will face legal action,” Kamal said.

He said integrated operations are among the enforcement mechanisms that will be continuously implemented to ensure industry compliance with labour laws enforced under the Human Resources Ministry.

- Bernama