In an effort to further strengthen the security aspect of the MRT Project, Malaysia Rapid Transit Corporation Sdn Bhd (MRT Corp) organised a Security and Centralised Labour Quarters (CLQ) Seminar on 4 September 2019.

Held at the KVMRT Training Centre in Sungai Buloh, this is the third year the seminar had been organised by MRT Corp Standard and Compliance (S&C), with an aim to communicate current laws, policies on code of practices, programmes and way forward on workers accommodation as well as to educate participants on rules and regulations of hiring security guards in accordance to the Private Security Act 1971.

Present at the seminar were representatives of MRT Corp, MMC Gamuda KVMRT Sdn Bhd (MGJV), Work Package Contractors for the MRT Sungai Buloh-Serdang-Putrajaya (SSP) Line and a number of government agencies.

The first speaker for the seminar was Encik Che Rokman Che Awang from the Department of Labour, who gave a talk on ‘Amendment on the Minimum Standards of the Housing and Employee Act 1990’. He touched on the topic of responsibilities of employers in providing a safe and clean boarding for employees, including the minimum requirement of boarding. He also reminded the participants to not discriminate the workers as they are in a foreign land trying to earn an honest living.

Coming from the Royal Police Force of Malaysia, the second speaker was ACP S. Shanmugamoorthy A/L Chinniah with the topic ‘Violent Crimes’. He explained on how the police force carry out ground work to study the crime rate in an area, and the importance of not delaying nor negating in reporting of a crime. The statistics collected from the report would enable the police to properly deploy support to the affected areas, allowing crime prevention to be better administered. He had also commended the centralised model of the CLQs as this will protect the workers from being targeted by criminals.

After a short morning break, the seminar continued with Encik Mohamed Zamri Mohd Zain from PLANMalaysia, speaking on ‘Guideline in Boarding Planning for Foreign Workers’. He shared on the method of development of the CLQs and reminded the participants to provide quality and conducive boarding to the workers.

In his speech officiating the seminar, MRT Corp Director of S&C, Tuan Haji Mohd Yusof Kasiron stressed that all personnel involved in the SSP Line must ensure strict adherence to security obligations as per contract, in ensuring project security is at the highest level. He had also reminded to hire legal security guards as per rule of law.

In recognising the effort put forward by the CLQ management, the Best CLQ Management 2019 and Best CLQ Security Management 2019 were awarded to the two top CLQs. The former was judged based on the criteria of management, facilities, cleanliness and maintenance, whereas the latter was based on operation and maintenance, management of access to site, site intrusion control, recruitment, legal aspect, inspection and even personal discipline of securities.

The Best CLQ Management 2019 was awarded to IJM Corporation Berhad and the Best CLQ Security Management 2019 was awarded to Malaysian Resources Corporation Berhad.

A dialogue session led by MRT Corp S&C Assistant Manager, Encik Haliman Othman took place after the lunch break with the managers from the three CLQs, Serdang, Sungai Buloh and Cheras. The respective managers, Tuan Haji Omar Mohamed of Mudajaya Berhad, Encik Muhd Yus Rezza Mahdum of IJM Corporation Berhad and Mr V. Visvanathan from MGJV, shared on the challenges in managing the CLQs. They stressed that to ensure proper management, the managers must always have new ideas to continuously update the checklist. The checklist should include several key factors such as cleanliness of toilets, kitchen areas and others.

The evening continued with a presentation by Dr Norian Ismail from the Selangor Health Department with the topic ‘Personal Hygiene and the Environment’. She explained on types of illness common in Malaysia, the difference between contagious and non-contagious diseases and how to mitigate them, and the importance of ensuring personal hygiene and clean environment.

The participants went home with a variety of information and knowledge which could then be applied in managing the security and the CLQ of the SSP Line, for the betterment of the Project.