Workers in the marine and process sectors, including the chemicals and pharmaceutical sectors, will no longer be allowed to be housed in HDB flats from 1 May 2015, said media reports.
“This change is in line with the longer-term plan to house marine and process non-Malaysian work permit holders in purpose-built dormitories and approved workers’ quarters with facilities which better cater to the workers’ needs,” the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and HDB said in a letter circulated earlier this month.
Nine new purpose-built dormitories, providing about 100,000 beds, will be constructed over the next two years. The dorms will include facilities such as food courts and basketball courts.
On 4 November, MOM introduced the Foreign Employee Dormitories Bill, which includes the additional regulations for larger dormitories.
“The government’s view is that in the longer term, it would be better to house work permit holders in purpose-built dormitories where there are self-contained facilities to meet their social and recreational needs outside work,” MOM said in a statement.
To move more work permit holders into such housing, more purpose-built dormitories will be available over the next two to three years.
The ministry added all foreign workers housing are subject to regulatory standards to safeguard the workers’ well-being. This includes “restrictions on leasing and subletting of private residential premises to prevent overcrowding and unauthorised change-of-use to workers’ quarters by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA)”.
Muneerah Bee, Senior Journalist at PropertyGuru, wrote this story. To contact her about this or other stories email muneerah@propertyguru.com.sg
