By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Dec 15: Kota Sentosa assemblyman Wilfred Yap has criticised Democratic Action Party Socialist Youth (Dapsy) Sarawak secretary George Lam for claiming credit over the passing of the Sarawak Labour Ordinance (Amendment) Bill 2024.
Describing Lam’s remarks as “ridiculous, mischievous, and misleading,” Yap refuted claims suggesting that the Bill’s passing highlighted Gabungan Parti Sarawak’s (GPS) failure to safeguard Sarawakians’ interests.
He clarified that the Sarawak GPS cabinet had approved amendments to the Sarawak Labour Ordinance in September 2021 to ensure compliance with international labour standards.
The newly incorporated Section 130P in the amended Ordinance aims to protect the rights and interests of both workers and employers in Sarawak.
“The amendments to the Ordinance were due wholly to the concerted efforts of GPS Members of Parliament (MPs) working hand in hand with the Sarawak GPS Government.
“The Ordinance now requires the Federal government to consult with the Sarawak government before implementing future amendments.
“Additionally, a new provision allows the delegation of powers to the Sarawak government to formulate regulations under the Ordinance tailored to Sarawak-specific matters,” he said in a statement.
Yap also urged Dapsy to “stop seeking cheap publicity” and instead focus on serving the people sincerely, rather than taking credit for GPS’ efforts.
Recently, George Lam reportedly claimed that the Bill’s passing exposed GPS’ failure to protect Sarawakians’ interests, citing that Sarawak’s Labour Ordinance had been out of sync with Peninsular Malaysia’s labour laws for 20 years, resulting in neglect of Sarawakian workers’ rights. – DayakDaily
