‘We will protect them all’

Kula: Amendments will include protection for domestic workers

PUTRAJAYA: The proposed amendments to the Employment Act 1955 will include regulations to protect domestic workers, said Human Resources Minister M. Kulasegaran.

The minister said there would also be a stand-alone law in the near future to protect domestic workers.

“We are going to put in the regulations immediately (in the proposed amendments to the Employment Act) as an interim measure until a new Act by itself to govern this area is done,” said Kulasegaran in a special group interview for the upcoming Pakatan Harapan anniversary celebrations yesterday.

Kulasegaran said the proposed amendments to the Employment Act would also include the issue of discrimination in the workplace.

He hoped that the amendments, as well as six other laws, will be tabled in the upcoming Dewan Rakyat meeting in July.

Among them include the Minimum

We are going to put in the regulations immediately as an interim measure until a new Act by itself to govern this area is done

Standards of Housing and Amenities Act 1990, the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994, the Industrialisation Act 1967 and the Trade Union Act 1959.

Kulasegaran admitted that the proposed amendments to the seven laws had taken some time to be tabled in Parliament as it required discussion with the stakeholders.

He also said two more proposed laws would be tabled in the near future; one of it is the Social Security Organisation (Socso) benefits for 1.4 million housewives.

He added that there were also plans to address the shortage of enforcement officers in the ministry, by assigning more ordinary staff to be enforcement officers.

Another thing would be to introduce a new mechanism to get employers to prepare a social compliance audit report on a voluntary basis.

“Companies (should they want to volunteer) would need to appoint an independent body to monitor and produce this social compliance audit report which encompasses all requirements by the ministry, namely wages , Socso, Employees Provident Fund (EPF) paid within the stipulated time and hospitalisation benefits.

“When they are done, they will send the report to us as well as to the company at the same time,” he added.

Kulasegaran said if the report did not meet the standards, then the ministry can take action against them.

He, however, said that the proposal was at a preliminary stage and more consultation was needed with the stakeholders.

M. Kulasegaran