Latest news with #CLQ
New Straits Times
20 hours ago
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Govt warns of closure after Penang riot at workers' hostel
BUKIT MERTAJAM: The government will not hesitate to shut down any Centralised Labour Quarters (CLQ) or Temporary Labour Quarters (TLQ) found to violate regulations or mismanaged in any way involving foreign workers. This follows the recent riot involving foreign workers at The Summit building here, which led to the arrest of 46 people. Human Resources Minister Steven Sim Chee Keong said the government had no qualms about taking stern action. "Companies must be responsible for the welfare and discipline of their workers. "If they fail, we will not only revoke the CLQ or TLQ licence, we may also withdraw the company's foreign worker permits," he told newsmen after conducting checks at The Summit this afternoon. On the riot, Sim said the matter was now in the hands of the police. He said the incident occurred because the workers were allegedly dissatisfied with their supervisor. Preliminary reports suggested the unrest stemmed from allegations of money being collected for unclear purposes, possibly without the knowledge of the company managing the workers. Over 1,100 foreign workers are housed in the TLQ at The Summit, with the majority of them are from Bangladesh (946), followed by Nepal (129) and Myanmar (38). Eight companies have employees staying at the facility, but the riot is believed to have primarily involved workers from just one company. Sim said the TLQ at The Summit was approved by the Seberang Prai City Council in 2023, with the permit valid until Dec 31, 2027. "The operator of the facility must comply with the Workers' Minimum Standards of Housing and Amenities Act 1990, and obtain certification from the Department of Labour. "We support the CLQ and TLQ concept because it keeps foreign workers' accommodations organised and prevents disruption to local communities. "But if the operator fails to maintain peace and order, we will instruct the local council and the Department of Labour to revoke the licence. "Although the riot at The Summit was not targeted at the general public, video footage of the incident caused fear among local residents," he added. Sim stressed the government's commitment to balancing industrial needs with public safety. "Companies must be responsible for the welfare and discipline of their workers. "Failing that, we will take stern action, including withdrawing their foreign worker permits," he warned. Meanwhile, the operator of the TLQ at The Summit, Chew Suen Chee, said various measures had been implemented to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the foreign workers. "We took immediate action after the incident and will cooperate fully with the police in their investigation," he said, apologising for the incident.
Borneo Post
02-05-2025
- Business
- Borneo Post
Federation calls for national action plan to tackle worker housing shortage
Soh added that the Ministry of Local Government and Development, the Ministry of Human Resources, and local authorities should be engaged to see fast-tracked approvals for CLQ and TLQ development. KUCHING (May 3): The Federation of Malaysian Manufacturing (FMM) has called for a National Action Plan on Labour Quarters to address the critical shortage of Centralised Labour Quarters (CLQ) and Temporary Labour Quarters (TLQ) across the country. Its president Tan Sri Dato Soh Thian Lai said CLQ and TLQ are in high demand, particularly in key industrial zones and logistics hubs. 'This shortfall continues to affect worker welfare and places pressure on employers tasked with compliance under Act 446, the Employees' Minimum Standards of Housing, Accommodations and Amenities Act 1990,' he said in a statement yesterday. As such, Soh added that the Ministry of Local Government and Development, the Ministry of Human Resources, and local authorities should be engaged to see fast-tracked approvals for CLQ and TLQ development. He proposed that the government come up with targeted incentives for developers and employers to build or retrofit proper worker housing, while calling for public-Private Partnership (PPP) models aligned with local and industrial development strategies. He also said FMM welcomes Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's keynote address on Labour Day, which captured the spirit of inclusive development and justice for the workforce. 'His bold assertion that 'one-room-one-toilet housing is no longer suitable', and his challenge that 'when there are so many facilities for the rich, it should not be impossible to find land to build decent homes for workers' reflect an urgent national priority that deserves broad support.' Additionally, Soh said FMM acknowledges Human Resources Minister Steven Sim's remark on the notable reduction in the national employment rate to 3.1 per cent, the lowest in recent years. He was also delighted to note the increase in female labour force participation to 56.2 per cent, a meaningful milestone in gender empowerment and economic inclusion, as well as the launch of the Kad Pekerja Madani, integrating worker identification, and social protection via discounts of up to 30 per cent from over 100 companies offering essential goods and services. Furthermore, Soh believed that the MyFutureJobs mobile application, an AI-driven job matching platform, will support the digital transformation of Malaysia's labour market. He said FMM is ready to support the utilisation and continuous improvement of the MyFutureJobs system through industry collaboration, ensuring it remains responsive to real-time market demand, skills matching, and sectoral workforce planning. 'FMM remains committed to working closely with the government in ensuring that economic progress is matched by meaningful social protection and long-term workforce resilience,' he added.
