Kuala lumpur: A cramped room in poor accommodation served as the living quarters of an Indonesian couple who were inspected during an Integrated Operation by the special enforcement team from the Department of Labour Peninsular Malaysia (JTKSM), carried out by the Perak Labour Department (JTK) here today. Hamidi, 28, and his wife Mutimatul Hasanah, 27, were among 14 local workers and 63 foreign workers from Indonesia and Bangladesh who were checked in the special enforcement operation that began with inspections at 9.30 am today.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, JTKSM deputy director-general (operations) Betty Hasan stated that inspections were conducted on nine employers in the construction, services, and agriculture sectors to ensure full compliance with the country’s labour laws. Hasan emphasized the importance of enforcing the act to ensure employers’ adherence to legal requirements, noting frequent non-compliance discovered during inspections. She highlighted issues such as cash payment of wages, inadequate accommodation, and lack of basic amenities, worker safety, and essential facilities as areas of concern. Hasan expressed the need for enforcement action against non-compliant employers.
The operation involved a total of 80 personnel, including representatives from the Council for Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (MAPO), Malaysian Immigration Department (JIM), police, Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB), and Social Security Organisation (Socso). During the operation, 28 investigation papers were opened, corresponding to offences identified by the involved departments and agencies, in line with the provisions of their respective laws.
JTKSM, in a statement, revealed that breaches detected included violations under Section 24D, Section 24J, Regulation 4 (2), and Regulation 4 (3) under the Employees’ Minimum Standards of Housing, Accommodation, and Amenities Act 1990 (Act 446). Additional offences included violations under Section 25A, Section 63A, and Regulation 8 and Regulation 9 of the Employment Act 1955 [Act 265], as well as Section 43 of the National Wages Consultative Council Act 2011 [Act 732].
The statement further detailed that employers paid salaries in cash, failed to give business notices to JTK, and did not provide work contracts or salary statements to employees. Additionally, salary payments did not comply with the minimum wage under PGM 2024. JTKSM affirmed that action will be taken against these offences by opening investigation papers for compound action and prosecution in accordance with the relevant acts.