Kulasegaran said among laws to be revised are the Employment Act, Child Labour Act and the Perkeso Act. — Picture by Miera Zulyana

PUTRAJAYA, Sept 13 — The Human Resources Ministry is aiming to update nine pieces of legislation affecting workers when Parliament next convenes, said M. Kulasegaran.

The minister said among laws to be revised are the Employment Act, Child Labour Act and the Perkeso Act.

“We are proposing amendments to these Acts as the previous amendments are outdated and not relevant to the current times,” said the minister at a media briefing in Putrajaya after officiating the World Day Against Child Labour today.

During the briefing, Kulasegaran was asked on the announcement on the imposition of the levy of RM10,000 per year on foreign workers who want to extend their visa beyond 10 years.

He clarified that he made the announcement on behalf of the Cabinet and that the levy is under the purview of the Home Affairs Ministry.

Earlier in his keynote speech, Kulasegaran cited the International Labour Organisation which estimated that there are 152 million child workers between the ages of five and 17 worldwide.

He said that as Malaysia is a signatory to the Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989, the country has a duty to uphold it and protect children from labour that jeopardises their health, education, shelter, clothing and nutrition.

Kulasegaran added that instances of child labour cases in Malaysia were mainly in the plantation and agricultural sector and were difficult to detect because of the lack of enforcement.

He said in 2016, one case of child labour was brought to court while in 2017 there were two.