Recently the statistic shown only 22% from 14,000 numbers of employer are follow or fulfill all the requirement by act and more than 70 % are not follow at all.Act 446 are workers minimum standards of housing and amenities Act 1990.This act are the minimum requirement for all the employers in construction,factory,estates,farm and all the industry who have a workers to supply or to provide a proper housing and place to stay for their workers.
This article only concentrate in construction industry especially at construction site not at the factory.Last time not in the era of pendamic,the temporary housing of the workers are depend on the contractor or developer planning.From the layout to the construction of the 'kongsi' or temporary housing are planned by the contractor.The consultant are not bother weather the kongsi are construct proper or not just according to the contract,the contractor must construct the 'kongsi'.
The material of the kongsi are made from the timber and plywood and the roof material are from zinc or etc.The 'kongsi' contain several room and one room can accomodate 3 or 4 workers and the usage are for sleeping only.And at the back,extension are made for kitchen purpose.The toilet are constructed far from the 'kongsi' and all the wastewater will flow to the temporary culvert septic tank.All the rubbish are dump to the open excavated hole.The canteen are provided if the number of workers are many.
The electrical and water supply are taken from the temporary supply connected by the main contractor.No maintainance and checking by the authorities until end of the project.So when this pandemic or new norm,all the workers housing are constructed and maintained following requirement by the act.Why the contractor not focus or serious in preparation of good housing for their workers?.Non profitable that the right answer.Sometime the workers are not supply by the main contractor but the workers are own by the sub-contractor,so the main contractor leave it to the sub contractor.The main contractor only concentrate to finish the project without shortage of workers and all the welfare to the workers are depend on the sub contractor.
The good example of the workers housing is done by the MRT project whereby all the workers are placed in one camp.The proper camp with electrical,water,laundry,canteen,health centre are provided in the camp.The workers will transport by bus to the workplace and all the workers have an indentity card or pass card when to enter and out from the camp.
Should be the government will set a CCC(centre construction camp) at every district and all the workers at nearby site must located at this camp.All the fees must borne by the contractor to the government.This system are apply in many country at the world to control all the movement of the workers especially a foreign workers,The workers can be detected if they run or going somewhere without permission from the employer.This system also useful to control workers from disease like this covid pandemic.
To fulfill all the act requirement may be costly for small contractor.That why only the big contractor or developer can comply the act.With CCC may be the contractor not worry about the welfare of their workers and worry about the fine to be imposed if they breaks the act.Same with the others industry,the workers housing centre or camp must be set up in the industry area or in the farm and estate to control all about the activities of the workers.Thank you
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