GEORGE TOWN (April 1): The Social Security Organisation (Socso) will not accept any more excuses from employers for not registering and making contributions for their employees as they have already been informed through various channels.

Socso chief executive officer Datuk Seri Dr Mohammed Azman Aziz Mohammed said employers who do not register their employees with Socso could face legal action and were liable to a fine of RM10,000 or two years in jail or both.

"It's difficult for Socso to accept the excuse that they are not aware of the need to register their workers because we have informed them through television, newspapers and the social media.

"As such Socso will not accept any more excuses and is not willing to compromise as the one-month grace period is over," he told reporters after launching the 2019 Ops Kesan, here today.

Also present was Employees Provident Fund (EPF) deputy chief executive officer  (Operations) Datuk Mohd Naim Daruwish.

A total of 500 Socso officers will be involved in the nationwide operation, which for the first time will also see the participation of officers from the EPF office.

Mohammed Azman, who was also present during the operation in George Town, said as at 12.30pm today his men have visited 1,080 business premises nationwide and 96 compounds have been issued to employers for failure to register and pay their employees’ Socso contributions.

In JOHOR BAHRU Socso director Tong Sing Chuang said the Ops Kesan would focus on Section 4 and Section 5 of the Employees Social Security Act 1969 where employers have failed to register their companies and employees with Socso.

"We have reminded them that a compound will be imposed if they do not comply with the regulations and they have been given ample time to do so," he told reporters after launching the state-level Socso and EPF Ops Kesan at Wisma Perkeso here today.

He said during the operation the officers also took the opportunity to update employees information for the purpose of finding suitable jobs for those who have been laid off by their employers.

Tong said 60 Socso officers and 20 EPF officers were involved in the operation.

In KUALA TERENGGANU, 41 employers were nabbed for failing to register their companies and employees with Socso.

Terengganu Socso director Nora Yaacob said those involved were employers and contractors running small-scale businesses.

"In Terengganu many companies, especially small enterprises have yet to register as the employers are still ignorant of the importance and benefits of contributing to Socso,” she told reporters at Wisma Perkeso here today.

In SEREMBAN 30 employers were compounded with fines totalling RM17,500 following the 'Ops Kesan operation conducted at Nilai 3, today.

Negeri Sembilan Socso director M. Nallusamy said of the 154 employers questioned during the operation, 65 have complied with the  Employees Social Security Act 1969 and Employees Insurance System Act 2017 while 59 others have failed to do so.

"This year our operation is focused  on Nilai 3 Industrial Area as most companies here employ foreign workers. Among the offences committed by the employers were failing to register their businesses as well as their foreign workers within the stipulated time,” he told reporters here.  

He said Socso had taken steps to protect foreign workers under the AKSP 1969, so employers found  violating this regulation, would be prosecuted.

Earlier, the four-hour operation which started from 10am saw State Human Resource, Plantation and Non-Islamic Affairs Committee chairman J Arul Kumar visiting the business premises along with 77 officers from the State Socso and SSM offices.