Malaysia is one of Asia's biggest employers of foreign labour. But recently, cases of deaths, abuse and forced labour have come to light. What is going on? Who is protecting these migrant workers?
National Institute of Occupational, Safety and Health (NIOSH) chairman Tan
Sri Lee Lam Thye said the ratio of accidents at the workplace stood at seven
per 1,000 workers as revealed by Social Security Organisation’s (Socso) statistics
for 2005.
<p>Though the accident rate had been brought down from 17 cases reported for the
same number of workers in 1995, he said, the number of cases reported in developed
nations was only about three to four. </p>
<p>“Management and employees have to combine efforts to reduce the number
of industrial accidents in the country. </p>
<p>“Employers should do everything possible to provide a conducive and accident-free
atmosphere for their workers,” he said at the recent NADOOPOD Regulations 2004
seminar. </p>
<p>Besides caring for the safety of their workers, he said, employers would also
benefit from higher productivity by ensuring that their employees were working
in accident-free environments. </p>
<p>“Industrial accidents cause damage and losses to the victims and their
families and their employers as well in terms of lost productivity through medical
leave. </p>
<p>“It also affects the growth and image of the country,” he added. </p>
<p>In 2004, Lee said, Socso had paid out RM835,512 in compensation to workers
who were involved in industrial accidents compared to RM758,371 in 2003. </p>
<p>He said most of the victims sustained temporary or permanent disablement and
the payouts were made on disablement and death allowances.
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