SUBANG JAYA (April 28): The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) in observing the International Workers’ Memorial Day sent a strong message calling on employers in the country to provide humane living conditions for foreign workers, that will also help prevent the spread of Covid-19.
In its special message in conjunction with the occasion, the workers union said national policy and measures to flatten the curve of the pandemic require significant consideration of issues facing migrant workers, including fulfilling their basic needs, guaranteeing their welfare and upholding labour standards.
“The issue of unsatisfactory living conditions provided for foreign workforce has been a cause of concern for MTUC all this while.
“We have observed that the majority of foreign workers in the country stay in overcrowded, cramped dormitories, construction site cabins and shop lot rooms where physical distancing may be almost impossible to observe,” MTUC deputy president Mohd Effendy Abdul Ghani told Bernama.
He said this after addressing some 50 trade union leaders affiliated with MTUC in conjunction with the International Workers’ Memorial Day celebration at Wisma MTUC here today.
The International Workers’ Memorial Day or Workers’ Mourning Day, celebrated annually on April 28, is the international day of remembrance and action for workers killed, disabled, injured or made unwell by their work.
In a related matter, Mohd Effendy has urged the government not to further delay the enforcement of Workers’ Minimum Standards of Housing and Amenities Act 1990 (Act 446) to ensure employers provide proper and conducive living conditions for foreign workers, besides addressing human trafficking in labour-intensive industries.
“We do not want the government to compromise in this matter of ensuring proper living conditions for foreign workers and we urge the government to speed up the enforcement of this act,” he added.
Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan was reported to have said the government has agreed to relax the enforcement of rules governing workers’ housing standards until the end of the year.
This comes amid calls from employers to be given more time to comply with requirements under Act 446, as many companies are still recovering from the fallout caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
In another development, MTUC vice-president Matkar Siwang has urged the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) to conduct investigation on the incident where an Indian national is believed to have died after inhaling chemical residue while cleaning a tanker at a vehicle washing centre at Jalan Seri Perkasa 1/1, Taman Tampoi Indah, Johor Baharu on Monday.
He said if there were elements of negligence, DOSH should initiate efforts to charge those responsible at court.
At the event, the 50 trade union leaders also observed a minute silence in remembrance of workers died in the line of duty.
