Labour Dept: 45 employers prosecuted so far for violating workers' housing rules

KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama): A total of 45 employers have so far been prosecuted in court and fined a total of RM332,000 for violating the Workers’ Minimum Standards of Housing and Amenities (Amendment) Act 2019 (Act 446), says the Labour Department.

The department also said it was part of the investigation papers involving 125 employers who will be prosecuted.

"Another 244 employers, meanwhile, have been given compound notices with a total compound offer of RM1,806,500," the department said in a statement Friday (May 28).

The Labour Department said most of the violations were under Section 24D of Act 446 for placing employees in accommodation without a certificate from the director-general of the department apart from the offence of providing accommodation for employees not in accordance with minimum requirements or not providing basic facilities that cannot be shared between employees.

Meanwhile, from Feb 1 until Thursday (May 27), the Labour Department inspected 18,749 employers and only 6,386 employers, or 34.06%, had complied with accommodation regulations while 12,363 or 65.94% were found to be non-compliant.

Act 466 came into force in June 2020, but employers were given flexibility until Sept 1,2020 to comply with the amendments. - Bernama