By Zareef Muzammil
KAJANG, June 29 — The Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS) has indicated it is prepared to construct more dormitories for foreign workers in the state who are here legally.
According to its senior general manager of administration Saharom Mohni, the endeavour is to accommodate the increasing pattern of non-citizen migration, following the reopening of the country’s borders in the wake of Covid-19.
“Naturally we hope that more space is opened for them (foreigners) to work here in accordance with the law, especially in the manufacturing, development and house maid sectors.
“We will work with the contractors involved to provide more comfortable hostels. This time the construction will be supervised as we want them to stay in the designated place, as it is uneconomical for them to live in hostels far from work that takes them 45 minutes to reach,” he said.
Saharom was speaking at the press conference after receiving a delegation of 20 Indonesian media practitioners at Pangsapuri Sri Ayu in Bandar Baru Bangi, earlier today.
Meanwhile, he said that so far PKNS has provided two hostels to foreign workers from Indonesia, Vietnam, Myanmar, and the Philippines, as well as a small number of locals.
Saharom added that since it began operating in 1998, seven dormitory blocks of Pangsapuri Sri Ayu have housed more than 1,000 employees, with all of them working with companies including Sony, Modern Icon, Metro Excel, Amazco, Karyatama Mitra, Nidec and Hitachi.
“While another at Datum In City, Kelana Jaya which was developed at a cost of RM120 million can accommodate about 5,000 workers, currently with a 60 percent occupancy rate,” he said.
On the delegation’s visit, Saharom said it is to give a true picture of the comforts enjoyed by legally-documented foreign workers.
“This brief visit is expected to strengthen bilateral relations between Indonesia and Malaysia, especially in Selangor. Both in terms of trade, business and diplomatic relations but also out of a sense of increased fraternal harmony among those with common roots,” he said.
