Op Banteras: 21 Ipoh factory workers living in cramped, dirty rooms

IPOH - As many as 21 workers of a tile processing factory in Kampung Kepayang, Simpang Pulai here were found living in crowded and dirty conditions in narrow rooms built using zinc.

The poor housing for the factory workers was uncovered during Op banteras (for) Forced Labour and Trafficking in Persons, carried out by the Perak Manpower Department (JTK) starting at 10am today with the participation of police, Immigration Department, Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) and Social Security Organisation (Socso).

Perak JTK director Muhamad Fauzi Abd Ghani said the factory housed three residential units for workers without following specifications and toilet facilities apart from a shoddy wiring system which was improvised in each room to tap electricity.

"The factory employs 14 foreign workers and seven local workers who live in the accommodation provided here.

"The inspection we carried out in this operation found that the employer had failed to provide basic necessities for its employees where facilities such as beds, mattresses were not provided, the rooms were narrow, surroundings dirty and localed in an unsafe situation which is unfit to be workers' residence," he said after an inspection of the factory area today.

He said the employer also failed to obtain accommodation certificates from JTK under the Minimum Standards of Housing and Amenities Act 1990 (Act 446) and did not provide conditions of service to all foreign workers working in the factory as provided for under the Employment Act 1955.

He said the Perak JTK would open two investigation papers under Section 24D of Act 446 where an employer could be fined up to RM50,000 and Regulation 8 of the Employment Act 1955 which provides for a fine of RM10,000 for each offence. - BERNAMA