IPOH: More than 20 workers, a majority of them foreigners, were found to be living in cramped, dirty and unsafe conditions for years at a tile processing factory in Kampung Kepayang, Simpang Pulai.
This was unearthed following a check by the Perak Labour Department via Ops Banteras on forced labour and human-trafficking.
Department director Muhammad Fauzi Abd Ghani said during the inspection, officers found three rooms built in the factory area. The rooms were not in accordance with the specifications set by the department.
Muhammad Fauzi said employees were also found to have installed their own wiring in each room to get electricity supply.
"The factory employs 14 foreign and seven local workers, and they live in the accommodations provided here.
"Inspections showed that the employers had failed to provide necessities to employees.
"Facilities such as beds and mattresses were not provided. The rooms are narrow and the surrounding area is overcrowded.
"This situation is completely unsafe and the venue unsuitable to be used as a residence for workers," he told reporters.
The operation, which started at 10am, was also joined by the police, Immigration Department, the Department of Occupational Safety and Health and the Social Security Organisation (Socso).
Apart from allowing its employees to live in dirty and poor accommodations, Muhamad Fauzi said the employer was also found to have failed to obtain an accommodation certificate from the department under the Minimum Standards of Housing and Employee Facilities Act 1990 (Act 446).
He said the employer had also failed to provide conditions of service to all foreign workers in the factory as provided under the Employment Act 1955.
"We will open two investigation papers under Section 24D of Act 446, where employers can be fined up to RM50,000 as well as Regulation 8 of the Employment Act 1955, which provides for a fine of RM10,000 for each offence," he said.