Akta 446: Industri pembinaan mohon tangguh setahun

KUALA LUMPUR: Pemain industri pembinaan meminta kerajaan menangguhkan selama setahun penguatkuasaan pindaan terbaharu Akta Standard Minimum Perumahan dan Kemudahan Pekerja 1990 (Akta 446).

Dalam satu kenyataan bersama hari ini, Master Builders Association Malaysia dan lima persatuan kontraktor lain berkata mereka memerlukan masa untuk mematuhi pindaan tersebut disebabkan kekangan kewangan akibat peningkatan kos pembinaan selain pertambahan kos pematuhan prosedur operasi standard COVID-19.

"Industri memerlukan tempoh yang mencukupi untuk pulih. Kami memuji inisiatif untuk menyediakan tempat tinggal yang kondusif kepada pekerja, namun penguatkuasaan pindaan Akta 446 itu yang diwartakan pada 17 Feb 2021 sebagai sebahagian Ordinan Darurat itu dilakukan pada masa yang tidak kena, mengambil kira keadaan ekonomi semasa," kata mereka.

Menurut kenyataan itu, penguatkuasaan Akta 446 yang melibatkan pelbagai agensi tersebut juga boleh menimbulkan masalah lain kepada kontraktor kerana ada kemungkinan berlaku salah tafsiran terhadap peruntukan undang-undang berkenaan disebabkan kurang pemahaman dalam kalangan penguat kuasa.

Lima persatuan tersebut ialah Persatuan Kontraktor Melayu Malaysia (PKMM), Persatuan Kontraktor Bumiputera Malaysia (PKBM), Persatuan Kontraktor India Malaysia (PKIM), Guild of Bumiputra Contractors Wibawa (GBC Wibawa) dan United Malaysia Contractors Association (UMCA).

-- BERNAMA

Niaga SPOTLIGHT: Costing The Silent Threat of Obesity

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Malaysia are a growing burden on the health system, with a number of associated health issues and economic costs.

The annual cost of healthcare for NCDs is estimated to be over RM 9.65 billion. Meanwhile, the cost of disability and loss of healthy life years is estimated to be around RM 100.79 billion. Absenteeism due to NCDs is estimated to cost the Malaysian economy RM 2.6 billion annually.

From the common NCDs, obesity is one of THE most significant health threats, with nearly 20% of the Malaysian population currently classified as obese.

Additionally, more than half of all adults (54%) are overweight or obese. According to the World Obesity Atlas, this figure could rise to 41% in Malaysia by 2035, if preventive action is not taken.

Niaga Spotlight focuses on immediate strategies to address this growing silent threat of Obesity, which also burdens the national healthcare system as well as national productivity levels with significant impacts and costs.