Emergency Ordinance to ensure better compliance by providers of workers accommodation - Saravanan

KUALA LUMPUR: The Director General of the Department of Manpower Peninsular Malaysia (JTKSM) has the right to order providers of workers' accommodation to replace, renovate or repair structures that do not comply with the Emergency Ordinance (Workers' Minimum Standards of Housing and Amenities) 2021.

Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M.Sravanan said the new law was gazetted yesterday (Feb 17) to control the spread of COVID- 19.

"The Director General of JTKSM also has the authority to transfer immediately workers from an overcrowded and unsuitable accommodation to a temporary accommodation set by the department.

"In this case, providers of the accommodation will bear the transportation cost of workers from their original accommodation to the temporary accommodation, transportation between their temporary accommodation and their workplace, as well as rental of the temporary accommodation.

"Those who fail to comply with this directive can be fined RM200,000 or jailed for up to 3 years or both," he told a press conference today.