BANGI: A large number of stubborn employers who have yet to register their workers for protection under the Social Security Organisation (Socso) are providing all kinds of excuses to authorities for their lack of compliance.
Socso chief executive officer Datuk Seri Dr Mohammed Azman Aziz Mohamad said among the excuses are that their workers are still new; that they did not realise that foreign employees also need to be registered; that they are unsure of how Socso works; and that they thought that small businesses need not register.
According to him, from 2009 to last year alone, 22,093 compound notices were issued to employers for failing to register businesses and employees. The fines amounted to more than RM16 million.
He added that 14,650 prosecutions against employers were also undertaken in the same period.
"Though there are 2.7 million foreign workers in the country, only 1.42 million were registered by employers, while the rest failed to be registered.
"Even during the ‘Ops Kesan Kebangsaan 2020’ with the EPF (Employees Provident Fund) held at Nilai 3, Negri Sembilan today, we found that 50 per cent of foreign workers were not registered by employers," Azman said at a press conference after the operation at Avenue Bangi Convention Centre here, today.
Also present was EPF deputy chief executive (Operations) Datuk Mohd Naim Daruwish.
In the operation at Nilai 3, Socso officers paid a call on 160 employers and issued 38 compound notices on the spot.
Azman said that nationwide, 721 employers were checked with 91 compound notices being issued in the operation.
He added that the operation was carried out after a one-month legalisation period, which ended on Feb 29, which saw 7,032 employers being registered.
"This legalisation period will not be extended and employers are advised to register immediately before action is taken.
"If they fail to pay the compound, they will also be fined RM10,000, or be sentenced to jail, or both ... So come register before Socso calls on your premises," he said.
Azman said he was also disappointed that despite the operation being held for the past 12 years, employers are still failing to carry out their duty.