'Our focus is not to punish anyone but rather to ensure workplace safety,' minister says
Malaysian Human Resources Minister Steven Sim is hoping to allay employers' concerns about the massive penalties of the amended Occupational Safety and Health Act 2022.
Penalties for workplace violations can reach up to RM500,000, significantly higher than the previous RM50,000.
The Malaysian Employers Federation previously said raising the penalty to such degree "does not make sense."
"A tiered penalty system based on the size and operations of the business could be a more viable option," MEF president Datuk Dr Syed Hussain Syed Husman previously suggested.
But Sim told employers not to fear the amended OSHA penalties, the New Straits Times reported.
"I want to stress that our focus is not to punish anyone but rather to ensure workplace safety," the minister said as quoted by the news outlet.
According to Sim, the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) under the ministry provides free services to organisations in assessing their workplace safety, and if they comply to the needs of the amended OSHA.
"If there is a gap, we will provide the necessary advice," the minister said. "So, I urge all employers with issues to come to the ministry or NIOSH for the Workplace Improvement Needs Analysis."
Malaysia has been taking various steps to enforce workplace health and safety across organisations.
It ratified in June the International Labour Organisation's Convention No. 155 on Occupational Safety and Health, which mandates the adoption of a national occupational safety and health policy.
