Tabling of Sabah Labour Ordinance amendments pushed to next Parliament session

KUALA LUMPUR: The Sabah Labour Ordinance Amendment Bill will be tabled in the next Dewan Rakyat session in 2024.

Deputy Human Resources Minister Datuk Mustapha Sakmud said that the draft Bill had been completed and was being reviewed by the Attorney General’s Chambers before presentation to the Cabinet.

The amendment Bill was supposed to be tabled in November but was pushed back to ensure all labour-related matters are scrutinised, said Mustapha.

“As the amendment involves major changes, ample time must be given to ensure it is complete and comprehensive for review and approval,” he said on Wednesday (Nov 1).

The state cabinet approved the proposed amendments to standardise the Sabah Labour Ordinance with the Employment Act 1955 in October 2022.

Mustapha said the amendments to the Ordinance that has been in place since 1950 will benefit 2.038 million workers and over 187,000 employers in Sabah.

He added that there are 16 proposed amendments, which include matters relating to sexual harassment, prohibition of discrimination, forced labour, improving provisions on children and young persons and maternity and paternity leave, among others.

“Since 1965, the Ordinance has only been amended once in 2005 as opposed to the Employment Act 1955 which has gone through 12 amendments.

“Accordingly, provisions under the Sabah Labour Ordinance need to be aligned with the provisions under the Employment Act so that workers in Sabah can enjoy the same protection as workers in the Peninsula,” Mustapha said, who is also Sepanggar MP.

He added that amendments would also include the standardisation of provisions under the Sabah Labour Ordinance with the Children and Young Persons (Employment) Act 1966 and Employees’ Minimum Standards of Housing, Accommodations and Amenities Act 1990.