KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 30 — Four of the five foreign workers involved in the incident in which a logistics warehouse under construction in Bayan Lepas, Penang collapsed on Tuesday were registered with the Social Security Organisation (Perkeso) but had no records of contributions.

Two of the four died in the incident while the other two were seriously injured, Human Resources Minister V. Sivakumar said.

The fifth worker, who also died in the incident, was not even registered with Perkeso, he added.

He said the four workers registered with Perkeso had no records of contributions since they were employed in 2020 until July 2023.

He said foreign workers, including those working as labourers in the construction sector, are required to register and contribute to Perkeso, fully effective from January 1, 2020, adding that the failure of employers to do so violates Section 6 of the Employees’ Social Security Act 1969 (Act 4).

"They can be charged under Section 94 of Act 4, which carries a penalty of a fine of RM10,000 or two years’ imprisonment, or both, if found guilty,” he said in a statement here today.

Meanwhile, Sivakumar said as of October 31 last year, 1.88 million foreign workers were protected under the Occupational Disaster Protection Scheme according to Act 4, with 4,566 accident incidents involving foreign workers reported to Perkeso.

"However, the number of contributions for foreign workers compared to the entry of foreign labour into Malaysia indicates that there are still a few employers who defy compliance with the provisions of Act 4,” he said.

In the incident around 9.58 pm, three construction workers from Bangladesh died, while two others were reported to be in critical condition and were sent to the Penang Hospital after the logistics warehouse under construction collapsed. — Bernama