KUCHING, Mar 3: The Malaysian Trade Union Congress (MTUC) has urged new Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to appoint a Human Resources minister who understands the plight of workers and not one who goes about sanctioning state union-busting.
MTUC president Datuk Halim Mansor said the country needs someone who can empathise with the plight of the workers who are struggling to make ends meet and bridge the widening income equality.
“We wish to draw Muhyiddin’s attention to the tough times faced by workers and the looming possibility of more job losses and retrenchments down the road. We urged that he pay special attention in appointing the next Human Resources minister to ensure the rights of workers and unions are always upheld,” Halim said in a joint statement with MTUC secretary general J Solomon.
He claimed that the previous Human Resource minister had pushed through bad laws, particularly when amending the Industrial Relations Act (IRA).
“He also failed to consult the National Labour Advisory Council (NLAC) where the MTUC was represented. On numerous occasions, he ignored the spirit of tripartism as contained in the ILO charter and attempted to dilute the role and responsibility of the MTUC.
“Several changes to the IRA advocated by the previous minister that were rushed through Parliament last October will lead to union-busting and weaken Malaysian unions,” Halim asserted.
He also urged that new Minister must review these bad laws urgently by either repealing them altogether or sending them back to the NLAC to propose suitable amendments.
“We need someone who can empathise with the plight of the downtrodden workers who are struggling to make ends meet and bridge the widening income equality,” he added. —DayakDaily
