IPOH: The Ministry of Human Resources will conduct a detailed investigation into the fire at a double storey shophouse in the Puncak Jelapang Maju industrial area in Meru on Tuesday which claimed six lives.
Its deputy minister Datuk Mahfuz Omar said the investigation would include the employer of the premises who hired under-aged workers or school students.
“It is an offence under the Children and Young Persons (Employment) Act 1966 to employ school students or the under-aged without the consent of the Department of Labour (JTK) of Peninsular Malaysia.
“Children and the young are allowed to work in certain places such as to assist in their family businesses but they are not allowed to work in premises which can tarnish their morale,” he told reporters after visiting the Career Carnival in conjunction with the Entrepreneur and Property Carnival here yesterday.
He was asked to comment on the action of the government over the employments of school students and the under-aged.
According to Mahfuz, his ministry would provide further comments on the case after receiving a complete report from the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (Dosh).
The six people who were killed in the incident were P Thiagarajun, 40, believed to be the owner of the premises and five part-time employees, Mohd Nor Aiman Abdul Rahman, 16; Mohamad Nor Ikram Mohd Husni, 15; Mohd Ikhmal Izzudin Mohd Kamari, 16; Ahmad Faizal Amiruddin, 16; and Mohamad Azhar Shah Rosli, 19.
On the career carnival, Mahfuz encouraged employers to rebrand the posts they offered to attract jobseekers.
“For example, if it was previously named production operator, the company here just now named it as production expert and this is a recognition of the people who apply for the work which reflects them as efficient,” he said.
Mahfuz said that next year, JTK would hold a career carnival in districts or small towns to facilitate the public to apply for work.
A total of 892 job vacancies were offered at the three-day carnival which started on Friday. – Bernama
