Phoong Jin Zhe, state minister for industrial development and entrepreneurship, said the money was paid off by 6pm today. “Maybe some of them might experience a delay in receiving but we will monitor it,” he told FMT.

In a video clip widely shared on social media, some of the construction workers were seen assaulting three men at the Shinsung E&G office, within the SK Nexilis project site at the Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park.

The fight was reported to have taken place on Saturday.

Earlier today, deputy human resources minister Mustapha Sakmud said the contractor would pay the salary arrears today and tomorrow after an agreement was reached with the Sabah labour department yesterday.

“The salaries should be paid in the first week of each month but there was a delay in the payment in March, leading to a conflict between dissatisfied workers and the employer,” he was quoted as saying by Harian Metro.

Mustapha said officers from the Sabah labour department will be present at the construction site today and tomorrow to ensure the workers received their salaries.