GEORGE TOWN, Nov 19 — All foreign worker dormitory projects in Penang must follow the state’s guidelines including social impact and traffic assessments, said Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow.
He said the guidelines ensured the projects take into account effects to the surrounding area before they are approved by local authorities.
“We fine-tune these guidelines from time to time and there were proposals on placing these quarters within factory grounds as sometimes, factories do provide space for this purpose,” he said in a press conference at Komtar today.
He said there were various reactions to such a proposal but as the “Silicon Valley of the East”, it is unsuitable to place a centralised workers’ quarters (CLQ) within factory grounds.
“It is a matter of human rights; how can we confine workers within the factory for 24 hours every day?” he said.
He said if the workers were at work for eight to 10 hours a day and go back to their quarters immediately after, they would be fenced in within the factory grounds.
“This is why we allowed CLQ to be built in other locations so that we can manage the issue of foreign workers being placed in various residential properties, such as apartment units and flats,”he said.
He said factories will also need to comply with the ESG (environmental, social and governance) standards.
This meant ensuring the quarters for foreign workers have to be in accordance with the ESG.
He admitted the CLQ projects meant placing 3,000 to 5,000 workers in one place.
“But these projects are complete with amenities for the workers such as sundry shops, hair salons, laundromats and even stalls selling fresh vegetables and fish to ensure the workers do not need to leave the compound to get their daily necessities,” he said.
He said currently, many employers are housing foreign workers in residential properties, apartment units and flats.
He said a CLQ is a good solution to place them in proper accommodations that are not overcrowded and with good living conditions.
“We have approved between five to six CLQs in the state, some in the Penang Science Park in Batu Kawan is already completed with CCC obtained,” he said.
He said some are already opened with foreign workers living in the quarters.
On the protests raised by residents in Taman Cendana in Juru, against a 32-storey workers’ dormitory in the area, Chow said the developer is now in the process of conducting a social impact assessment (SIA).
“The consultant appointed by the developer will conduct the SIA by getting feedback from residents living near the project site so they can express their views to the consultant,” he said.
He said the project is yet to be approved as the developer will need to submit both the SIA and Traffic impact assessment (TIA).
“The council will consider their application for planning approval based on the SIA and TIA,” he said.
Recently the residents held a protest against the project, citing safety and traffic congestion concerns.
The proposed CLQ project in Juru comprised of 1,440 units on 5.6ha piece of land with a capacity for 20,000 workers.
