By Alen Kee
Clampdown on errant employers in Sabah
TAWAU: Sabah Labour Department (JTK) has carried out 141 operations throughout the state from January to June this year involving 599 premises and charged seven employers who were fined RM18,600.
Sabah JTK director Kamal Pardi said during the same period, 157 investigation papers were opened on various offences under the Sabah Labour Ordinance, National Salary Consultative Council Act and others.
He said that at the moment the department is in the process of charging errant employers.
The department also performed statutory examination activities on 3,345 employers, said Kamal.
He said the department conducted checks on 45 premises and issued 23 notices to employers for offences under the Sabah Labour Ordinance in yesterday’s operation here.
Kamal said the operations conducted in Tawau area is part of JTK’s task and involved 45 personnel throughout Sabah visiting premises with the purpose to ensure that the employers complied with the provisions under the Sabah Labour Ordinance chapter 67 as well as the National Salary Consultative Council (MPGN) Act 2011 and other provisions.
Apart from that, he said JTK wants to ensure that all employees working in private companies have the benefits that have been set in accordance with the provisions of the Act and to enable them to work comfortably, more harmoniously in a company and are receiving the minimum wage which is RM920 for Sabah.
He said the employer should pay a minimum of RM920 every month and if employer pays more the better for the employee, but it should not be less than RM920.
“If less then RM920 we can take action under MPGN 2011,” he said.
He said under the Sabah Labour Ordinance chapter 67, employees must receive their wages accordingly which should not be more than 7 days from the following month of the wage period and if the employer fails to pay within that period, it is also an offense.
In addition to the operations here yesterday, he said JTK is also conducting operations at several farms in the afternoon to see that employers in the plantation sector are also paying the same or providing benefits in accordance with the provisions of the Act.
He said from time to time, apart from JTK operations, the department also conducted statutory checks on companies and found that there are employers in Sabah who violated the regulations and JTK took action and also compounded several companies.
As a whole, he said the employers gave due diligence to employees and on minimum wages, employees who do not receive the minimum wage as set up, could come to the nearest Sabah JTK office to lodge a complaint and JTK will take follow-up action.