KESUMA to establish one-stop labour service centre in Sabah, says Sim

KOTA KINABALU: The Human Resources Ministry (KESUMA) will establish a One-Stop Labour Service Centre in Sabah as a new initiative to consolidate various employment-related services under one roof.
Its minister, Steven Sim said the setting up the centre in Sabah marks the latest step towards expanding this initiative throughout the country.
'We hope this one-stop centre will be realised in the months to come.
'All worker-related issues, whether concerning the Labour Department, Department of Industrial Relations Malaysia, Department of Trade Union Affairs, PERKESO (Social Security Organisation) and so on, can be referred to one place only Workers no longer need to travel back and forth to various offices,' he said in a statement after making a working visit to the Sabah Medical Services Union (SMSU) here today.
Sim said that the passing of the Sabah Labour Ordinance and Sarawak Labour Ordinance in Parliament last year was a major achievement for KESUMA because it was finally passed after being delayed for over 20 years.
'This step allows for the alignment of workers' rights and protection across the country. We cannot let workers in Sabah and Sarawak continue to lag behind in terms of protection. The success of amending these ordinances is not solely my effort but a collective one with the Malaysian Trade Union Congress, trade unions, the state government and KESUMA officers.
'The Sabah Labour Ordinance (Amendment) Act 2025 and Sarawak Labour Ordinance (Amendment) Act 2025 have come into effect from May 1, 2025, except for Part IVA, which contains special provisions related to minimum standards for housing, accommodation and worker facilities,' he said.
In the meantime, Sim hopes that SMSU can increase its membership from 8,000 to 10,000 in line with the national target to double the number of union members from one million to two million.
'Joining the union means we strengthen the voice of the workers. With balanced bargaining power, only then will workers' welfare be more assured.
'To encourage participation in the union, KESUMA launched the MADANI Employee Card initiative, which offers discounts ranging from 10 to 30 per cent at selected premises and businesses. Efforts to involve more companies are also actively being pursued to expand benefits for every member,' he also said.
Meanwhile, SMSU president Ajulahin Japin said that they appreciate the various reforms brought since Sim took the lead in KESUMA, especially involving the full enforcement of the Sabah Labour Ordinance on May 1 this year, as well as the official establishment of the Sabah Labour Advisory Council (SLAC) on May 13.
Ajulahin also said he is among the 16 union representatives who received their appointment letters as permanent committee members, and that he has also been appointed to the permanent committee within the National Labour Advisory Council (NLAC) starting from May 1.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Barnama

13 hours ago

• Barnama

Centralised, Temporary Labour Quarters Licences Can Be Revoked If Operators Violate Act 446

BUKIT MERTAJAM, June 22 (Bernama) -- The Human Resources Ministry (KESUMA) will not hesitate to revoke the operating licences of Centralised Labour Quarters (CLQ) and Temporary Labour Quarters (TLQ) if operators fail to comply with the provisions under the Employees' Minimum Standards of Housing, Accommodations and Amenities Act 1990 (Act 446). Human Resources Minister Steven Sim said the warning followed a commotion involving a group of foreign workers at a TLQ operating in a hotel here on Friday, which caused unease among local residents. He said Act 446 stipulated the provision of suitable housing and basic amenities for foreign workers, but that employers must also prioritise workers' welfare, safety, and discipline to avoid negative impacts on the surrounding community. 'CLQs and TLQs are meant to centralise the accommodation of foreign workers so that it doesn't affect local neighbourhoods. So it's very important to have this system. I have discussed this matter with the operators of such facilities. 'I've also issued a reminder to ensure that workers' welfare is safeguarded and that their presence does not disturb the community. If they fail, I will not hesitate to instruct the Labour Department (JTK) and local authorities (PBT) to revoke their licences,' he said at a press conference here today. Also present were Penang Local Government and Town and Country Planning Committee chairman H'ng Mooi Lye and Penang Labour Department deputy director A. Thanavalli. Sim said the foreign worker permits of the companies involved could also be cancelled, stressing that such actions were not meant to be punitive against industries or employers, but to ensure they understood the consequences of failing to manage their workers responsibly. He added that the hotel in Bukit Mertajam had been approved by the Seberang Perai City Council (MBSP) to operate as a TLQ until 2027, and had also obtained certification from the Labour Department. A total of 1,113 migrant workers were housed at the TLQ—comprising 946 from Bangladesh, 129 from Nepal and 38 from Myanmar.

The Sun

17 hours ago

• The Sun

RM1.5 million PHEKS grant approved for Northern Zone unions

BUTTERWORTH: The Human Resources Ministry (KESUMA) has approved 124 applications for the Union Affairs Development Grant (PHEKS), amounting to RM1.5 million, for the Northern Zone, covering Perak, Penang, Kedah and Perlis. Human Resources Minister Steven Sim said this included 26 approved applications worth RM261,988 in Penang; 21 applications worth RM384,670 in Kedah; 15 applications valued at RM211,569 in Perlis; and 52 applications in Perak involving RM656,722. 'Overall, a total of 1,049 PHEKS applications were received this year from various trade unions nationwide, of which 551 applications amounting to RM7.15 million were approved,' he said. 'I hope this allocation will be put to good use to strengthen our unions,' he said at the Northern Zone PHEKS 2025 assistance presentation ceremony here today, which was also attended by Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow. This year, the government allocated RM10 million for the implementation of PHEKS, the highest in history, compared with RM5.8 million last year. A total of RM7.15 million was distributed to trade unions under approved clusters, while RM2.85 million was allocated for the outreach and community service programmes. Sim added that his ministry is targeting two million union members nationwide by the end of this year. He expressed confidence in reaching the target, noting that the number of new trade unions formed last year was five times higher than in previous years. He said the MADANI Worker Card initiative has also helped boost trade union membership, which currently stands at one million, by offering discounts of up to 30 per cent at over 200 companies providing essential goods and services to registered members. The PHEKS is a one-off financial aid provided to registered trade unions in Malaysia through the Department of Trade Union Affairs (JHEKS) under the KESUMA to support union-related activities. Trade unions may apply for assistance under five designated clusters: Training and Education; Trade Union Movement Studies; Academic Writing on Labour Issues; purchase of IT equipment such as for the digitalisation of union management records.

New Straits Times

18 hours ago

• New Straits Times

HR Ministry approves RM1.5mil for northern trade unions

BUTTERWORTH: The Human Resources Ministry has approved 124 applications for the Union Affairs Development Grant (PHEKS), amounting to RM1.5 million, for the Northern Zone, covering Perak, Penang, Kedah and Perlis. Human Resources Minister Steven Sim said this included 26 approved applications worth RM261,988 in Penang; 21 applications worth RM384,670 in Kedah; 15 applications valued at RM211,569 in Perlis; and 52 applications in Perak involving RM656,722. "Overall, a total of 1,049 PHEKS applications were received this year from various trade unions nationwide, of which 551 applications amounting to RM7.15 million were approved," he said. "I hope this allocation will be put to good use to strengthen our unions," he said at the Northern Zone PHEKS 2025 assistance presentation ceremony here today, which was also attended by Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow. This year, the government allocated RM10 million for the implementation of PHEKS, the highest in history, compared with RM5.8 million last year. A total of RM7.15 million was distributed to trade unions under approved clusters, while RM2.85 million was allocated for the outreach and community service programmes. Sim said the ministry is targeting two million union members nationwide by the end of this year. He expressed confidence in reaching the target, noting that the number of new trade unions formed last year was five times higher than in previous years. He said the Madani Worker Card initiative has also helped boost trade union membership, which currently stands at one million, by offering discounts of up to 30 per cent at over 200 companies providing essential goods and services to registered members. The PHEKS is a one-off financial aid provided to registered trade unions in Malaysia through the Department of Trade Union Affairs (JHEKS), under the HR Ministry, to support union-related activities. Trade unions may apply for assistance under these designated clusters: training and education; trade union movement studies; academic writing on labour issues; purchase of IT equipment and the digitalisation of union management records.