KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 21): The National Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (NCCIM) has criticized the government over the “untimely use” of Act 446 to ensure employers provide proper accommodation and amenities for workers, saying it adds unnecessary burden and costs to businesses struggling during the pandemic.
The chamber, in a statement today, said Putrajaya should give employers a longer grace period to comply with Act 446, which refers to the Emergency Ordinance (Workers’ Minimum Standards of Housing and Amenities Act).
The Act, which was gazetted on Feb 17, allows the Human Resources Ministry to delegate the enforcement of the new law to other ministries, and imposes stiffer penalties (fines up to RM200,000 or jail terms of up to three years or both) against employers or owners of accommodation for failing to provide proper housing facilities for workers.
Published on: Sunday, February 21, 2021
By: FMT
A workers’ quarters near a construction site.
PETALING JAYA: The workers’ minimum standards of housing and amenities act 1990 (Act 446) will now be enforced in Sabah and Sarawak, following an amendment to the Act, Human Resources Minister M Saravanan said.
There were previously no laws related to employee housing in Sabah and Sarawak.
“This is just for the duration of the emergency. We will have discussions with the states to see how effective the Act is,” he said.
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The Emergency Ordinance (Workers’ Minimum Standards of Housing and Amenities) 2021 was gazetted on Feb 17, which now allows the law to be implemented in Sabah and Sarawak.
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KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Employers Association (SEA) has questioned the rationale behind the government’s decision to enforce the Workers’ Minimum Standards of Housing and Amenities Act 1990 (Act 446) in the state
PUTRAJAYA: The Emergency Ordinance (Workers’ Minimum Standards of Housing and Amenities) 2021 has been gazetted and will see stiffer penalties against employers or owners of accommodation for failing to provide proper housing facilities for workers.
With the Ordinance, gazetted on Feb 17, in place, the use of Act 446 can now be used in Sabah and Sarawak.
The Ordinance will give authority to the director-general of the Labour Department to order owners of accommodation to replace, change or upgrade the facilities should it be found not to meet criteria under the Act, said Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan
(pic) .
“Owners of accommodation who fail to comply with the order can be fined up to RM200,000 or be jailed up to three years or both, ” he said at a press conference Thursday (Feb 18).