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?
Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Dr Fong Chan Onn said this may be because
there was less emphasis placed on occupational diseases as compared with workplace
accidents.
<p>"The focus in occupational safety and health is usually on preventing
accidents at the workplace and less on occupational diseases," Fong said
after launching the Convention on Occupational Safety and Health here yesterday.</p>
<p>He said public awareness about occupational diseases was low compared with
knowledge of workplace accidents.</p>
<p>Socso records an average of 200 occupational diseases annually. In 2005, 194
cases were reported, an increase over the 185 cases in 2004.</p>
<p>In the public sector, 110 civil servants reported work-related illnesses between
January to June to the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH),
compared with nine cases last year.</p>
<p>A check at Socso’s website, www.perkeso.gov.my, show-ed that diseases
reported in 2004 included hearing impairment caused by noise (48 cases), cancer
caused by dust from wood (15), miners’ nystagmus (14) and skin diseases
caused by physical, chemical or biological agents (10).</p>
<p>There were also 33 cases of unnamed diseases caused by physical agents.</p>
<p>Fong said Socso had guidelines on handling occupational diseases but more awareness
about prevention was needed.</p>
<p>Socso pays benefits for occupational diseases listed under the Employees’
Social Security Act 1969.</p>
<p>Employers who register their workers and contribute on their behalf to Socso
cannot be sued so long as the disease is covered by Socso.</p>
<p>For civil servants, claims related to diseases are sent to the Finance Ministry
with supporting documents from DOSH which investigates their claims.</p>
<p>On industrial accidents, Fong said Malaysia had reduced the number from 10
accidents per 1,000 workers in 1997 to five per 1,000 last year. "We are
way behind advanced countries, which have achieved two or three accidents per
1,000 workers."</p>
<p><i>Source: http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Wednesday/National/20070718084256/Article</i>
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