Taman Desa condo collapse: Contractor used illegal workers, failed to pay overtime wages, says report

KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 20): A Labour Department probe on the Taman Desa condominium collapse which occured last Friday (pictured) found that the main contractor of the project being built has allegedly made breaches of the employment law, the Malay Mail reported.

These "alleged violations" included failure to provide workers with safe lodgings, pay for overtime work, and employing illegal foreign workers.

According to the department, two of the six workers injured during the collapse did not have work permits and work insurance.

“The findings from our investigation to see if the workers were insured by Perkeso showed their employers did not register them for protection. No information was received,” said the investigation report by the Labour Department.

The construction firm is Leow Tuck Chui & Sons Sdn Bhd.

The news portal reported that the Labour Department conducted site inspections and took statements from two of the company’s representatives -- safety supervisors Asrul Fahmi Jamaluddin and Muhammad Amirul Abdul Hamid.

“Among violations identified during site inspections was the lodging provided within the construction site did not comply with the Foreign Worker Housing Guidelines provided by the LFD and CIDB (Construction Industry Development Board) for construction,” said the department.

It was also reported that the department tried to speak with the eight sub-contractors Leow Tuck Chui & Sons Sdn Bhd used for the project "but has so far only identified six based on information provided", wrote Malay Mail.

.“The KL Labour Department team was sent to detect three sub-contractors, Bakti Tiara Sdn Bhd, Ng Kok Wah Building Contractor Sdn Bhd, CML Plumbing Sdn Bhd., but we found their premises shut and locked,” the department revealed.

The report has "recommended  action be taken under Section 25, Section 60k and 60A of the Works Act 1955".

It has been reported that the condominium involved in the mishap is The Address 2 being developed by Maxim Holdings Sdn Bhd.

The Protect Taman Desa Coalition made up residents in the area has on Sunday called on the authorities to make public findings of the probe into the condo mishap.

“Investigations must ascertain if the workers carrying out the construction work have been screened and certified for their competencies to carry out the construction works assigned,’  the group's working committee member Philip Phang.

Meanwhile the Ministry of Human Resources will establish specific legislation or regulations by extending the responsibility towards construction workers’ safety to include developers and designers.

Its minister M Kula Segaran said that under the existing rules on employee safety and health, the full burden was on the contractor.