KUALA LUMPUR, May 28 — A total of 45 employers have so far been prosecuted in court and fined a total of RM332,000 for violating the Workers’ Minimum Standards of Housing and Amenities (Amendment) Act 2019 (Act 446).

The Department of Labour Peninsular Malaysia (JTK) said they were part of the investigation papers involving 125 employers who will be prosecuted.

“Investigation papers involving 244 employers, meanwhile have obtained compound permits with a total compound offer of RM1,806,500,” the department said in a statement today.

JTK said most of the violations were under section 24D for placing employees in accommodation without a certificate from the director-general of JTK apart from the offence of providing accommodation for employees not in accordance with minimum requirements or not providing basic facilities that cannot be shared between employees.

Meanwhile, since February 1 until yesterday, JTK inspected 18,749 employers and only 6,386 employers, or 34.06 per cent, had complied with accommodation regulations while 12,363 or 65.94 per cent were found to be non-compliant.

JTK said a total of 3,057 employers were warned to repair or improve their employees’ living conditions while 8,531 employers had been warned.

Act 466 came into force in June 2020, but employers were given flexibility until September 1, 2020 to comply with the amendments. — Bernama