GEORGE TOWN, Dec 6 — MY EG Lodging (NC) Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of MYEG Services Bhd, today signed a lease agreement with the Penang Development Corporation (PDC) to build a RM108 million foreign workers’ housing in Batu Kawan.

The workers’ village project, located at Batu Kawan Industrial Park 3 (BKIP3), is expected to house at least 8,000 foreign workers upon completion.

According to MYEG director Datuk Mohd Jimmy Wong Abdullah, the project is expected to complete by 2026.

“Along with this project, MYEG will offer other services such as application for work permits, provision of fully equipped facilities and amenities for the foreign workers including surau, sundry store and recreational areas,” he said in his speech at the signing ceremony at Jen Hotel here today.

He said all facilities will be in accordance with the standards set by the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

“This MYEG-PDC workers housing project is the first such project in Penang,” he said.

Later, in his speech, Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said PDC called for a request for proposal (RFP) for the project between September 29 and November 29 last year.

He said PDC received three proposals and the proposals were presented to the PDC board and PDC Acquisition Board before MYEG was selected.

“This project will involve building a workers’ hostel in BKIP3 on a plot of land measuring around 8.3943 acres,” he said.

He said the workers’ quarters will resolve issues such as foreign workers being placed in existing residential areas, influx of illegal foreign workers and manage the drop in property prices due to certain areas being used as foreign workers’ housing.

He said PDC currently has four other foreign workers’ housing projects in the pipeline.

“These projects will be able to house between 30,000 and 35,000 workers,” he said.

MYEG today signed a 30-year lease agreement with PDC at a sum of RM20.4 million for the 8.3943 acres land.

The workers village will consist of eight blocks of five-storey workers’ accommodations with 445 hostels to house an approximate 8,000 workers.