Mass Rapid Transit Corp Sdn Bhd (MRT Corp) sees it as an employer’s responsibility to provide a safe and healthy environment for its foreign workers, and to oversee their welfare.
“The growth of the number of foreign workers in Malaysia has been substantial, however, the living conditions of foreign workers in Malaysia as a whole, leaves much to be desired,” said MRT Corp Strategic Communications and Stakeholder Relations director Datuk Najmuddin Abdullah.
The company set a proud precedent when it established the centralised labour quarters (CLQs) for its MRT Sungai Buloh-Kajang Line costing RM79.5mil in 2011, while the cost of refurbishing existing CLQs and building new ones for the MRT Sungai Buloh-Serdang Line was RM76mil.
“One of the key success factors of completing a project of this size is to ensure that there is a steady, reliable and trained workforce to carry out construction.
“At the same time, the company also takes heed of public concerns over social and safety implications from the unavoidable increased numbers of foreign labour,” Najmuddin explained as to why investing in CLQs was of paramount importance.
Such a move is uncommon among employers. As such, the company’s centralised labour management was the basis of the Malaysian Standard on Temporary Construction Site Workers Amenities and Accommodation MS 2593:2015, and became a model for other companies.
MRT Corp also lauded the Government’s efforts to compel employers to provide better housing for foreign workers, describing that as “much needed”.
Facilities by MRT Corp
- Guard house
- Surau
- Bathroom/Toilet
- Kitchen
- Common Area/Cafeteria/ Kiosk
- Sundry shop
- Sick bay
- Dining area
- Administration office
- Bus stand
- Sport facilities and assembly area
- 24-hour security and CCTV
- Emergency preparedness for fire, pandemic, riot, fighting
- Strict house rules
- Access control (facial recognition/ biometric)
- Access card system – before entering CLQ, worker has to pass through smart ID system
- Workers’ welfare (monthly meeting, grievance handling)
- Interfacing with authorities (routine inspections, data sharing)
