Glovemaker fined RM1,000

Poor living conditions: Employees of the factory sitting on their bunk beds during the raid. — FAIHAN GHANI/The Star

PETALING JAYA: A glovemaker in Port Klang escaped a shutdown order after being slapped with a RM1,000 fine for failing to comply with Covid-19 preventive measures and providing seemingly poor living conditions for workers.

The factory was earlier expected to be shut down after it was found to have breached several rules. A statement released yesterday evening showed that only the compound was issued against it.

Klang district environmental health officer Ili Syazwani Mohd Mashudi had said there were no records of sanitisation and disinfection that were supposed to be carried out at least three times a day.

“We also did not see any measures on physical distancing in one of the dorms. There are markings for physical distancing but in reality this did not happen.

“We have yet to see evidence in the form of documentation, observation and random interviews with employees that it is practised, ” she said.

She was speaking to reporters after a raid by the Port Klang Labour Department and Klang Health Department at around 11.30am yesterday, where the male and female workers’ dorms as well as the cafeteria and factory floors were inspected for physical distancing and sanitisation compliance.

Ili said if their investigation showed that there had been more than three violations, they would order the factory to shut down for seven days under Section 18(1)(f) of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 (Act 342).

“From what we saw, there is potential for closure, ” she said.

The Labour Department, meanwhile, found that the factory did not comply with several rules under the Workers’ Minimum Standards of Housing and Amenities Act (Act 446).

“There are triple-decker bunk beds which are considered a risk to workers and almost all the bunks we saw did not have mattresses.

“One of the dorms was also built into an existing factory which requires a certificate of accommodation from the Klang Municipal Council – one the company claimed they have applied for but we have yet to see, ” said Peninsular Malaysia Labour Department deputy director-general Mohd Asri Abdul Wahab.

He said the company also had to make several changes such as ensuring there’s bedding at each bunk and reducing the height of the bunk beds.

A company spokesman identifying himself as the owner’s son said the living conditions of the workers “certainly have room for improvement but at the same time, I don’t really hear them complaining so much because if you hear and see what some of their friends go through, this is much better”.

On Monday, the Human Resources Ministry and other agencies raided the LA Glove factory in Kajang, Selangor, and ordered it to shut down for violating Covid-19 safety regulations and violating Act 446.