Deputy human resources minister Awang Hashim said the department had conducted inspections on 14,835 employers nationwide, involving 95,870 accommodation units.

“Of the total employers inspected, only 3,874 or 26.1% of them met the criteria.

“Inspections were also carried out on 616,216 workers, namely 572,518 foreign workers and 43,698 local workers.

“A total of 625 investigation papers were opened for various offences, including accommodation not certified by the JTK director-general, non-compliance with local authority laws and not providing rest and dining areas to employees,” he told reporters after the Tautan Kasih with Kedah Media event last night.

Awang said the accommodation facilities provided by employers should be safe and conducive for employees, both locals or foreigners.

“JTK provides guidelines, so we will not tolerate and will prosecute employers who fail to comply with the prescribed act.

“Thus far, JTK has issued 34 employee transfer orders, 2,417 improvement instructions for accommodation units and 7,885 compliance instructions.

“All employers are expected to abide by the law to protect the safety and lives of their employees.

“This also coincides with the current situation where many positive Covid-19 cases occur among foreign workers due to, among others, lack of good sanitation facilities and the accommodation not being managed properly,” he said.