IPOH: Police have arrested a 49-year-old company director suspected of pushing foreigners into forced labour at a factory in Chemor here.
Perak police chief Comm Datuk Azizi Mat Aris said the man was arrested during its Op Pintas Mega operation on Thursday (July 25) at about 3.30pm.
Police also rescued 27 foreign nationals and a teenager in the operation.
“Acting on a tip-off, we were able to track a forced labour exploitation activity, which also included foreign nationals and children, at a plastic recycling centre in Chemor here
“The operation also involved the state Labour Department and Environment Department,” he said in a statement on Thursday.
“We also arrested 27 foreign workers from China and Myanmar, aged between 30 and 55.
“A 16-year-old boy from Myanmar was also rescued during the operation,” he added.
Comm Azizi said the company director would be investigated under Section 14 of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act (Atipsom) for trafficking minors for the purpose of exploitation and Section 55 (b) of the Immigration Act for taking in foreigners who do not have valid working visas.
“The foreign workers would be investigated under Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act for not having valid identification documents and Section 39(b) of the Immigration Regulations for misusing their passes,” he said.
He said other offences found by the Labour Department included Section 24D of the Workers’ Minimum Standards of Housing and Amenities (Amendment) Act, Rule 4 of the Employees’ Minimum Standards of Housing, Accommodations and Amenities (Accommodation and Centralized Accommodation) Regulations; and Section 63(1), Section 25A and Section 19(1) of the Employment Act.
“The Environment Department also took action against the factory for not adhering to the Environmental Quality Act,” he added.
