KLANG: Almost 500 investigation papers have been opened against employers for breaches of labour laws as of Nov 1, 2025, says Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Mohamad.
The Deputy Human Resources Minister said among the most common labour law offences were employers' failure to make mandatory contributions to the Social Security Organisation (PERKESO) or the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) for their workers.
He said while most employers met minimum wage standards, many still failed to make EPF contributions.
"There are also some cases where workers worked three to four hours a day but needed to leave early due to unavoidable family issues, but they were not paid for those hours which is a violation of the law.
"I have instructed my officers to resolve these issues within one to two weeks," he said during an Ops Kurier integrated enforcement operation at a courier storage warehouse here on Tuesday (Nov 4).
He revealed that the Labour Department had conducted 488 labour enforcement operations nationwide in this regard with 490 investigation papers having been opened as of Nov 1, 2025.
Of these, he said 353 cases have been approved for prosecution, with total fines amounting to RM138,000 and 501 compound notices issued amounting RM2,877,500.
Abdul Rahman said a similar crackdown was made against employers in Sabah with total fines imposed reaching RM87mil.
"Some companies were fined RM50,000, others RM100,000, and so on. All the money was being channelled back to the affected workers who lodged the complaints.
The enforcement operation in Klang involved multiple agencies including the Occupational Safety and Health Department (DOSH), PERKESO, EPF and the police, who provided security support.
The checks focused on wage compliance, working hours, worker accommodation, safety standards and statutory contributions.
Abdul Rahman said the integrated approach was key as labour violations are often interconnected. These involve not just wage issues but also unsafe workplaces or lack of worker welfare.
"Through integrated operations like Ops Kurier, we aim to raise employer awareness and strengthen the culture of compliance with Malaysia's labour laws," he said.
He added that whistleblower protection would remain a priority with the ministry planning to take any employer to court and increase penalties if a whistle-blowing worker is fired or punished.
