BUKIT MERTAJAM: The Human Resources Ministry will embark on more aggressive enforcement operations nationwide to ensure that employers strictly abide by the Workers' Minimum Standards of Housing and Amenities Act 1990 (Act 446) to stop the spread of Covid-19 among foreign factory workers.

Amendments to the Workers' Minimum Standards of Housing and Amenities Act 1990, passed in Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara in July 2019, addresses living conditions of migrant workers in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.

To date, more than 100 operations have been launched nationwide since Act 446 came into effect, which saw some 23 employers taken to court since last September.

Deputy Human Resources Minister Awang Hashim said they will launch more aggressive operations to ensure that all employers abide by the standard operating procedures (SOP) set by the National Security Council (NSC). 

"Based on the checks conducted, about 80 per cent of employers are complying with the SOPs. As for the others, they did not adhere to the SOPs for accommodation for their workers.

"We are not here to find fault, but to remind everyone of the need to work together in our fight against Covid-19.

"With the pandemic still lurking, there is a need for us to pay greater emphasis to Act 446.

"As such, we will be more aggressive after this," he told newsmen after checks at several foreign workers' accommodation and a factory in Bukit Tengah here, this morning.

At one of the foreign workers' accommodations, about 15 people were staying in a cramped four-bedroom house.

There was also a partition separating the hall, with a mattress in the middle of the hall.

Inside the house, clothes were seen hanging in all corners.

The bathroom was also filthy.

According to a Nepalese staying there, known as Promice, in his 30s, he has been working at the factory for the past six years.

"We are working on a shift basis, so we do not have all 16 of us staying in at the same time.

"We clean this place ourselves," he said, adding that the employer has been treating them well.

On today's checks, Awang said they would open an investigation paper to see whether action will be taken against the factory.

The factory will be given 14 days to reply.

Meanwhile, Awang said of the 1.596 million registered foreign workers nationwide, only 230,000 have taken the Covid-19 swab test.

"We still have a long way to go. We need to complete all to ensure that all of them are free from Covid-19," he added.

https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2021/01/661532/employers-not-providing-adequate-accommodations-foreign-workers-face