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PUTRAJAYA: Nineteen research papers have been started on Top Glove, which has been linked to the Teratai group in Selangor, where infections have been unleashed among their dormitory workers.
Labor Director-General Asri Ab Rahman said the department opened 21 investigative documents on violators of the Minimum Standards of Housing and Services for Workers Act following a compliance operation in Perak, Kedah, Kelantan, Negri Sembilan and Johor last week.
Of that number, he said 19 of the research papers were in Top Glove.
“We have submitted the investigative documents to the Deputy Prosecutor and will take the cases to court once we have the green light,” he said.
However, he did not disclose the number of charges brought against Top Glove.
In all, he said there were 63 possible charges pending from lawbreakers, including Top Glove.
Top Glove worker shelters in Meru, Klang, have been placed under an enhanced movement control order following a spike in Covid-19 cases.
As of Monday, a total of 5,805 tests had been performed on workers at the rubber glove manufacturer, and 3,406 were found infected.
Teratai is the largest Covid-19 cluster in the country to date.
The group yesterday registered 778 new cases or almost 53% of all new infections found nationwide; or 87% of the 891 cases reported in Selangor.
On November 26, an execution operation was carried out at Top Glove and investigations carried out in the accommodation and shelters of its workers found that it did not comply with the provisions of the law.
According to the Ministry of Human Resources, the main crime was that the company did not request an accommodation certificate from the director general of the Department of Labor.
“The failure leads to other crimes, including overcrowded conditions, unsuitable living space with inadequate ventilation,” the ministry said.
The law, which came into effect on September 1, stipulates the need for employers to obtain a certificate of accommodation from the Peninsular Malaysia Department of Labor.
Asri said that so far, only 665 of the 54,000 companies that provide accommodation for their workers had applied for a certificate of accommodation, adding that the department targeted all the companies involved to apply for certification by the end of 2021.
Meanwhile, Top Glove reiterated that it was acquiring more accommodation facilities for its workers.
He also said that efforts were being made to improve the housing of existing workers “in view of the large number of workers we employ.”
All of these plans were expected to be finalized by the end of this month, he said in a statement yesterday.
According to the statement, Top Glove had spent around RM20,000 in the past two months to purchase 100 apartment units to serve as
shelters in compliance with government conditions.
Before that, he said he had spent approximately RM50,000 on 100 two-story houses and hostels that came equipped with facilities such as canteens, ATMs, hairdressers and mini-markets.
“Our workforce is the company’s greatest asset. We are committed to continuing to work closely with the relevant authorities to make the necessary improvements to ensure the safety, health and well-being of our employees, ”the statement said.
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