Pembinaan kerangka baharu bagi meningkatkan perlindungan keselamatan dan kesihatan pekerja asing di asrama pekerja dalam menghadapi krisis kesihatan awam (Developing a framework to enhance safety and health protection for foreign workers in dormitories during public health crises)

Abstract

Melalui pengalaman negara memerangi pandemik COVID-19 pada tahun 2020-2021, usaha mengawal krisis kesihatan awam ini bukan sahaja perlu dilakukan terhadap masyarakat Malaysia sahaja malah ianya perlu meliputi golongan pekerja asing di dalam negara. Penularan pandemik dalam kalangan pekerja asing adalah berskala besar dan membahayakan negara. Keadaan ini memerlukan perancangan, strategi dan kerangka baharu dalam menghadapi krisis kesihatan awam pasca pandemik. Masalah utama yang dikaji dalam kajian ini adalah garis panduan dan akta sedia ada tidak dapat menjelaskan isu menangani masalah keselamatan dan kesihatan pekerja asing apabila berlaku penularan wabak penyakit berjangkit berskala besar seperti pandemik. Terdapat 3 objektif dalam kajian ini iaitu mengenalpasti keperluan utama pekerja asing di asrama pekerja, menganalisis punca penyebaran COVID-19 dalam kalangan pekerja asing di asrama pekerja dan mencadangkan satu kerangka baharu untuk dijadikan panduan perlindungan keselamatan dan kesihatan di asrama pekerja asing ketika menghadapi krisis kesihatan awam. Kajian ini menggunakan kaedah kaedah kualitatif iaitu temu bual elit dan temu bual kumpulan fokus (FGD). Hasil kajian mendapati penularan pandemik boleh mengancam keselamatan, kesihatan dan kesejahteraan negara. Sehubungan itu, majikan dan kerajaan perlu menjalin kerjasama yang lebih erat dalam memperkukuh sistem pengurusan keselamatan dan kesihatan pekerja asing di asrama. Hal ini bagi memastikan persekitaran tempat tinggal lebih selamat dan teratur serta memperkukuh kesiapsiagaan negara dalam menghadapi sebarang krisis kesihatan awam pada masa hadapan melalui mekanisme tindak balas yang lebih tersusun dan berkesan.

Kata kunci: Asrama pekerja, kerangka baharu, krisis kesihatan awam, pekerja asing, perlindungan keselamatan dan kesihatan

Through Malaysia's experience in combating the COVID-19 pandemic during 2020–2021, efforts to control this public health crisis were required not only for the local community but also for foreign workers residing in the country. Transmission of the pandemic among foreign workers occurred on a large scale, posing significant risks to national health. This situation highlighted the need for new planning, strategies and frameworks to address post-pandemic public health emergencies. The main problem examined in this study is that existing guidelines and legislation do not adequately address the safety and health needs of foreign workers during large-scale infectious disease outbreaks. This study has three objectives: (1) to identify the primary needs of foreign workers in dormitories, (2) to analyze the causes of COVID-19 transmission among foreign workers in dormitories and (3) to propose a new framework to guide safety and health protection in foreign worker dormitories during public health crises. A qualitative approach was employed using elite interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs). The findings indicate that pandemic transmission can threaten the safety, health and welfare of the nation. Accordingly, employers and the government must establish closer cooperation to strengthen the management of safety and health systems for foreign workers in dormitories. Such collaboration aims to ensure a safer and more organized living environment while enhancing national preparedness for future public health emergencies through more structured and effective response mechanisms.

Keywords: Worker dormitories, new framework, public health crisis, foreign workers, safety and health protection