SEREMBAN: From next year, foreign workers in Negri Sembilan will no longer be allowed to stay in residential areas.

       State local government development, housing and transport committee chairman J. Arul Kumar said those currently staying in such places have until the end of the year to move to centralised labour quarters (CLQ) or commercial areas.

       "The Manpower Department will, in the meantime, legalise premises located in residential areas which are occupied by foreigners.

       "However, the workers will only be allowed to live there till the end of this year and must move out then," he said in a statement on Monday (Jan 29).

       Arul Kumar said he visited a CLQ at Lodge Residence in Bandar Baru Nilai which had 1,000 rooms and could accommodate up to 3,500 workers.

       He said the visit was to find out the challenges faced by owners of these premises including obtaining the necessary approvals from local councils.

       "The state government encourages the construction or conversion of premises into a CLQ but this should be according to rules set by local councils and the Manpower Department.

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       "Also, a CLQ has to be gated and guarded and have all basic facilities for the foreign workers," he said, adding that this was also to ensure that the workers lived in a safe and conducive environment.

       He said between 20 and 30 companies have since moved their foreign workers to Lodge Residence.

       An increasing number of companies had expressed their interest to set up CLQs and the state government would help them do so, he added.

       Arul Kumar expressed hope that with the ruling, the issue of some foreigners causing problems in residential areas would be a thing of the past.