YOURSAY | ‘It is public knowledge, so don't pretend to be shocked.’

Minister 'shocked and ashamed' by workers' squalid living quarters

PurpleJaguar0553: The problem has always been that capitalism put its focus on only maximising profit. It is not concerned about the workers.

Human resource is simply treated like machines for production, they are not treated as people. There is no respect nor compassion, only the drive to get rich and richer and even more.

Our respective governments have failed to regulate companies and ensure that they bear and carry out their social responsibility in return for being given the licence to operate.

A government like ours which practises double standards filled with people only interested in power and glory will not address such injustice, as corruption is anathema to righting any wrong, it works hand in glove with the profit seekers. The greater the profit, the greater the dividend earned by those indulging in corruption.

There are just too many interests involved to ensure the recruitment and employment of migrant labour continue apace. All these discoveries of workers’ poor living conditions will soon disappear as newer issues crop up.

There is simply no will in the government to have workers treated with compassion and respect. The laws that exist only support capitalism.

GrayImpala9653: Human Resources Minister M Saravanan, this is just the tip of the iceberg. If not for the spread of Covid-19, you would not have known of it, and as usual will be defending these companies.

Remember, you initially defended Top Glove and later you had to retreat when there was a Covid-19 scourge plus foreign NGOs which took up the matter.

You said you were shocked, actually you will be even more shocked when you see the living quarters provided by other companies. Malaysian companies have a third-world mentality.

Appum: Ashamed? Why are you not ashamed that the root cause of such a despicable state starts at the head? It is the big "C" involving top politicians and political warlords. This "cari makan" system flows down the line.

We have laws, we have federal and state enforcement at the local level, but they do nothing because all want to "cari makan". So, if top politicians, just like one in a court case recently, are found guilty, why not also go for the ones down the line?

As long as the big "C" is not solved and punished as a capital crime with stiff penalties, nothing will change.

And it must be made that the higher the office one holds, the stiffer the penalty imposed. It is so easy for the businesspeople to ‘kowtim’ (negotiate) whenever laws are broken. It is public knowledge, so don't pretend to be shocked.

Iphonezours: Minister, I am surprised that you are surprised and not aware that these kinds of conditions exist. This is the problem with our ministers, civil servants and bureaucrats, who are not in touch with the ground and the people.

They just sit in their offices looking through reports and wait for updates from their officers, which in most cases paint a rosy picture.

Your ministry and the authorities are also responsible for what has happened by not conducting enough enforcement to ensure compliance with the Workers' Minimum Standards of Housing and Amenities Act 1990 (Act 446) by employers. Get in with the job, people.

Cogito Ergo Sum: Minister, what is shocking is that it took you so long to realise that migrant workers have been living in hellish conditions for ages. This has been going on even during your days when BN was in power.

This visit of yours seems like a PR exercise to boost your party’s flagging image and popularity in the face of increasing dissatisfaction with the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government. It’s too little too late.

You should have learnt from Singapore’s experience where migrant workers’ hostels were the centre of Covid-19 infections.

Annonnymous 080: What has been the outcome of the Labour Department’s visit to Top Glove hostels? Why are Top Glove factories allowed to operate in clear breach of violation of workers accommodation law? Pride should be more important than the economy.

These higher-up officers should be taken to task, get their pay docked and a tribunal held on their

working visits to these hostels throughout the years. What did they inspect?

Just stop these factories from resuming and you will have these workers housed in budget hotels immediately.

And Justice For All: For those criticising Saravanan - though I agree with most of you, and I too can’t find any love for this man - but please keep in mind that these things have been going on for an eternity from BN to Pakatan Harapan to PN. They are all equally responsible for what you see today.

Most of the owners of these premises are unscrupulous business people (usually of a particular race), imposing slave-like conditions on other human beings. They get rich on the back of others. No unions allowed. Workers have no say about their work conditions. Minimum wage. No off-days. No paid sick leave.

The argument is that the economy cannot afford luxuries or we will not be competitive globally. So, you and I need to think carefully, not just condemn other people. Is this who we are?

New Day: @And Justice For All, I agree with all that you have stated. But the government has the ultimate responsibility to ensure basic human rights.

They have ignored this for many years with full knowledge of what has been happening. Harapan’s 20 months’ rule was not long enough to do much.

Minister, where have you been all these years? Everyone, I seriously mean everyone, knows what the living conditions are like for these workers. It’s a bit late to be calling yourself a human resources minister.

When did this terrible issue start? Many years ago, under the auspices of your not-so-great leaders of Umno, MIC and MCA. Who profited from these workers? Some of your best buddies in these parties and their affiliates.

They should really be doing jail time over their culpability in allowing this to happen in the first place and then turning a blind eye for many years. Once you finish with the filthy factory accommodation, you only need to visit all the construction sites and much of the plantation industry.

It is sadly never-ending, this attack on basic humanity. Make sure you make a change - permanently!

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