By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Dec 11: The delay in implementing the Sarawak Labour Ordinance (Amendment) Act 2024 has come at a significant cost to employees in Sarawak and unnecessarily prolonging the disparity in employee rights between Peninsular Malaysia and Sarawak.
Stampin MP Chong Chieng Jen expressed relief that the Sarawak Labour Ordinance (Amendment) Bill 2024 was tabled in Parliament for its first reading yesterday (Dec 10).
He noted that the second reading is scheduled tomorrow (Dec 12), the final sitting day of Parliament for 2024, and the Bill is expected to be passed the same day.
“It has been a long wait for employees in Sarawak for this Bill to be introduced and passed. I am glad that the Sarawak government has finally resolved its differences with the Ministry of Human Resources,” he said in a statement today.
Chong, who is also the Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sarawak chairman, emphasised that employees’ rights in Sarawak should at least match, if not exceed, those of their counterparts in Peninsular Malaysia, especially with Sarawak’s goal of becoming an advanced State by 2030.
“It is meaningless for any state to claim it is advanced if its employees’ rights remain on par with those of a developing state.
“With the amendment Bill expected to be passed in Parliament tomorrow and in the Senate next week, nearly one million employees in Sarawak will finally enjoy better rights and benefits,” he said.
The Amendment Bill includes several key improvements, such as raising the monthly salary threshold for employee protection under the Ordinance from RM2,500 to RM4,000, ensuring that more workers are entitled to overtime pay and a 45-hour workweek.
It also provides protection against sexual harassment, extends maternity leave to 98 days, grants seven days of paternity leave, introduces flexible work arrangements, and imposes restrictions on the termination of pregnant employees.
Chong urged that once the Senate passes the Bill and royal consent is granted, the Minister of Human Resources should promptly gazette the legislation for implementation.
“Employees in Sarawak have waited long enough. Every additional delay is an extra day of unfair treatment,” he stressed.
He also expressed gratitude to the Minister of Human Resources for their dedicated efforts in ensuring the success of the Bill. — DayakDaily
