the blogging syed shahir

The Star

PETALING JAYA: Budget 2010 was aimed at making Malaysia a ‘high-income society’ but MTUC has expressed disappointment that minimum wage was not ad-dressed.

Its president Syed Shahir Syed Mohamud said: “Income levels must be raised in view of the rise in the cost of living in the country.”

Syed Shahir said MTUC would continue to push the Government to introduce a minimum wage of RM900 for private sector workers in the country.

Meanwhile, ASLI’s Centre of Public Policy Studies chairman Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam said: “On one hand the Prime Minister wants to raise income but there is no provision for a minimum wage in the budget.”

Navaratnam also said that the fastest way to raise income without going through the pangs of economic transformation was by introducing a minimum wage.

He said a minimum wage would also help fight poverty and make a breakthrough in the present mid-income trap that it faces.

“The minimum wage can be based on the poverty threshold of RM700 a month,” he suggested.

He also said at present many shunned low-income jobs as they had to work so hard for so little.

“Because of this, some engage in undesirable activities such as crime in order to get a quick buck.

“Also, the dependence on foreign workers can be reduced if there is a minimum wage that provides for a decent standard of living,” he added.

Earlier, Navaratnam had written an open letter to the government calling for the introduction of a basic wage.

Oleh Sazarina Shahrim (Berita Harian)

Cuepacs mahu gajib bawah RM3,000 dikategori golongan daif di bandar

KUALA LUMPUR: Kira-kira 600,000 kakitangan awam berpendapatan kurang RM3,000 sebulan dijangka bakal menerima bantuan kerajaan untuk menambah pendapatan.

Presiden Cuepacs, Omar Osman, berkata mereka yang merangkumi 45 peratus daripada 1.2 kakitangan awam itu yang kebanyakannya bekerja di bandar, memang tertekan dengan kos sara hidup tinggi sehingga ada yang terpaksa melakukan kerja sampingan untuk menambah pendapatan.

Beliau yakin dengan kepemimpinan kerajaan kini dapat membasmi segera kemiskinan, terutama di bandar.

“Kita juga berharap pemberian RM100 juta dalam bentuk saham amanah percuma kepada rakyat miskin di bandar seperti diumumkan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, merangkumi kakitangan awam.

“Kakitangan awam yang mempunyai gaji bawah RM3,000 tiada simpanan masa depan dan ini memberi kesan kepada mereka selepas bersara,” katanya.

The Star

PETALING JAYA: The MTUC is calling on the authorities to implement effective measures to protect all frontline workers, especially those from the aviation and healthcare sectors, against the influenza A(H1N1) virus.

MTUC president Syed Shahir Syed Mohamud said employers must also be committed to giving assistance to workers who have been placed under home or hospital quarantine as well as their families.

“If clinic staff or airport workers and flight attendants are quarantined for coming in contact with the two infected patients, they should be paid the full salary,” said Syed Shahir.

“We are very concerned with the outbreak of various diseases in several parts of the country and want the authorities to seriously look into practices associated with the preservation of good health among the general public,” he said.

Syed Shahir expressed the hope that employers would educate workers on how to improve personal hygiene and keeping their work environment clean at all times.

In Port Klang, port workers expressed concern for the lack of protective measures against the virus outbreak, reports Bernama.

Union of Employees of Port Ancillary Services Supplies (Unepass) secretary A. Balasubramaniam said thousands of frontliners serving incoming ships from all over the world had not been given adequate protection.

The Health Ministry, he claimed, was concentrating more on airports and other passenger entry points and gave low priority to ports.

“There are no screening machines or stringent health checks at the ports, thus workers and ship crew are coming in contact with each other without proper screening,” he said, adding it was causing concern to the port community now that Malaysia had two confirmed cases of influenza A(H1N1).

Balasubramaniam, who is also MTUC vice-president, called on the ministry not to neglect the health and welfare of port workers and issue proper guidelines and information to them.

He said the port authorities and the Health Department needed to conduct intensive campaigns among port workers to increase awareness on the disease and other communicable diseases that could be brought into the country by foreign ship crew members.

By : B. Suresh Ramand S. Arulldas (NST)

PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) wants the workers’ demands to be seriously looked into and solutions implemented.
For starters, the congress which turns 60 this year wants to meet Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak who assumed the country’s leadership recently.

“The MTUC is prepared to have a dialogue with the new leadership on workers’ issues,” said congress president Syed Shahir Syed Mohamud after attending the MTUC national-level Workers Day celebrations at the Subang Jaya Municipal Council Sports Complex here yesterday.

He added that the current government leadership should be “caring” to the workers’ needs in the country.

Both Syed Shahir and MTUC secretary-general G. Rajasekaran were of the view that there were several crucial issues which need to be addressed to improve the welfare and the well-being of the 11.2 million workers nationwide.
In an oath taken by about 1,500 MTUC members, they asked for among others:

- Removal of threats and oppression of workers;

- Implement workers’ rights in line with the provision in the Federal Constitution;

- Recognise and adopt the 1998 International Labour Organisation resolution by reinstating the right of negotiation with the civil service;

- Create a law guaranteeing a minimum wage of RM900;

- Respect workers’ rights by ceasing all kinds of discrimination;

- Expand the social protection net to workers who lose their jobs;

- Review outdated labour laws; and,

- Respect occupational safety and health of workers by enhancing awareness of the relevant laws.

Meanwhile, both Syed Shahir and Rajasekaran also want the immediate setting up of a retrenchment fund.

“This is more important now due to the uncertain economic situation,” said Rajasekaran.

Syed Shahir called for the government to set aside RM500 million to set up the fund.

“We have been asking for the fund to be set up for the last 10 years. It is only for those who have lost their jobs and for no other purpose,” he said, adding that the fund should be set up immediately.

Syed Shahir said that if workers were truly the backbone of the country’s progress and development, then their rights need to be acted and implemented upon.

In Penang , the state MTUC asked the government to help workers currently displaced and retrenched by their respective employers to find alternative jobs.

More than 100 workers, especially displaced and retrenched workers, took part in a one-kilometre walk from the Penang Bird Park to the Sunway township.

The participants also distributed more than 3,000 leaflets containing the MTUC’s recent demands to the government.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Trades Union Congress wants the government to look into a number of issues involving workers, which have yet to be resolved despite being highlighted over the years.
MTUC president Syed Shahir Syed Mohamud said that one of the most urgent was a minimum wage.

“We have been calling for a minimum monthly wage of RM900 as well as RM300 in cost of living allowance,” he told the New Straits Times in conjunction with Labour Day on Friday.

He said they have been pursuing the matter since the 1950s.

Another urgent matter is the setting up of a retrenchment fund.
“We have been asking for a retrenchment fund since 1998 but it has yet to be realised.”

He also called for a review of the amendments to the Trade Unions Act 1959 and Industrial Relations Act 1967, which were gazetted last year.

The MTUC had said the amendments would result, among others, in the Industrial Court’s loss of independence, allowing for easier union busting, promoting the removal of union activists and labour flexibility and the reduction of wages and other benefits.

“We want these to be reviewed.”

He also also called for the security of tenure for workers in the country, which involved having permanent instead of contractual jobs.

“This is more relevant now because of the uncertainty brought on by the recession.”

The MTUC will hold its annual labour gathering at the USJ sports complex in Subang Jaya on Friday.

KUALA LUMPUR, April 9 (Bernama) — The MTUC has described the new cabinet as a “compromise cabinet’ because the Prime Minister had to take into consideration the interest of various ethnic and political groups.

Nevertheless its President, Syed Shahir Syed Mahmoud hoped the new team would give due cognizance to the workers who form almost half of Malaysia’s population.

He pointed out that over the last 30 years workers have been neglected and there were numerous problems that remained unresolved.

Among them were minimum wage, cola (cost of living allowance), labour laws which were biased towards employers and security of employment.

He said MTUC also hoped that the new government would have frequent formal dialogues with workers’ representatives to thrash out problems and resolve them.

Syed Shahir added that the workforce today was young, in the age group of 18-40 years, and the government should not use “old methods” to look into their needs.

“These young educated workforce should be handled in a different way so as to ensure continued industrial harmony and progress for the nation.”

Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca) secretary-general, Muhammad Shaani Abdullah said the new government should work towards reducing the burden faced by the ordinary man in the street.

He wanted the rates of basic needs like electricity and water to be brought down to a more affordable level.

Muhammad said this could be done if leakages in awarding of tenders and contracts were plugged.

“Tenders and contracts should be awarded on an open basis to avoid abuse and cut down cost.”

He also suggested that the new government work quietly and sincerely without undue publicity as so much money, time and effort were wasted in inviting and entertaining ministers when they came to open projects.

“In other words the tradition of cutting ribbon should be abolished,” he said.

The Executive Director of the Malaysian Employers Federation, Shamsuddin Bardan was disappointed that the Higher Education Ministry was not merged with the Education Ministry.

He said two ministries handling the same issue was a waste of resources.

He called on the new team at the finance ministry to get cracking and implement the stimulus packages which had been announced by the previous government.

“We expect faster implementation and greater improvement in the government’s delivery system,” he added.

Shamsuddin was glad that a green technology ministry had been formed and described it as a great step forward as the world was now moving in that direction.

He was also glad that the Human Resource Minister Datuk Dr. S. Subramaniam was retained as the present economic situation warranted that the projects started by him should be seen through to success.

The National Union of Teaching Profession (NUTP), Lok Kim Pheng said by appointing the Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yasin, to also head the Education Ministry, was a great recognition to the teachers.

“We are really honoured to have him as our minister and hope that our voices could be heard loud and clear by the new government,” she said.

She pledged full support and cooperation to Muhiyuddin.

— BERNAMA

KUALA LUMPUR, March 10 (Bernama) — Malaysian companies will be able to save more than RM400 million in the next two years with the reduction in the contribution to the Human Resource Development Fund (HRDF) under the second economic stimulus package unveiled today, according to the Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF).

MEF executive director Shamsuddin Bardan this was something the employers had been asking the government since last year. At present, the employers pay RM1 per worker per month towards the fund. This has been reduced to 50 sen per worker.

The government should consider giving a full waiver on the retrenchment sum received by the workers, he told Bernama when commenting on the RM60-billion Second Stimulus Package tabled in the Dewan Rakyat. The package had proposed a 40 per cent waiver.

Shamsuddin said another area where the government could help was to absorb the RM300 fee per worker that was required to test the worker’s skills. He explained that Malaysian workers who had worked for many years possessed certain skills, but these skills were not certified and hence the workers lost out when it came to promotions.

So, it was important to certify the skills, he said. The Human Resources Ministry conducted such tests and it cost about RM300 per worker.

On the whole, the MEF welcomed the stimulus package as it would ease the burden of workers and employers.

The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) said that though it welcomed the package, it was disappointed that the government did not propose a retrenchment fund.

Its president, Syed Shahir Syed Mohamud, said the fund would have benefited the 20,000 retrenched workers directly.

He also said that it was an opportune time for the government to have introduced a minimum wage of RM900 plus a cost-of-living allowance (COLA) of RM300.

Syed Shahir said he hoped that the stimulus package would be properly monitored to prevent leakages.

On the training proposed in the stimulus package, he said the training should be specific and be useful so that the trained workers could be gainfully employed.

Cuepacs, while welcoming the budget, hoped that the 50,000 contract workers now in government service would be absorbed into the permanent service.

Its president, Omar Osman, said the toll subsidy was also most welcomed as it would reduce the burden of the low-income group.

The Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca) praised the government for helping to lessen the burden of the ordinary people, particularly the poor, by providing subsidy for basic necessities like sugar, flour and bread.

Its chief executive officer, Mohd Yusof Abdul Rahman, said the government should carefully monitor the subsidies to prevent any abuse.

— BERNAMA

New Straits Times

THE Selangor state government has received the backing of trade unions and consumers in its plan to take over the water services industry in the state.

The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) and the Coalition Against Water Privatisation presented a joint memorandum to Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim to voice their dissatisfaction over the Federal Government’s move to acquire water assets in the state yesterday.

MTUC president Syed Shahir Syed Mohamud said at parliament lobby yesterday he was heartened by the assurances given by the state government that water tariffs would remain at an affordable rate even after the restructuring of the water services.

Under the initial restructuring plan, the state government, via state-controlled Kumpulan Darul Ehsan Bhd (KDEB), would take over the water concessions and assets, to be handed over to Pengurusan Aset Air Bhd, a wholly-owned company under the Ministry of Finance.

The assets would then be leased back to KDEB as the sole licensed operator. This is because after the restructuring exercise, there would no longer be concessionaires.
Instead, licence will be issued to the operator which would be reviewed by the Federal Government every few years.

Daily Express

Kota Kinabalu: There is no immediate need to consider the Malaysian Trades Union Congress’ (MTUC) proposal for a pay cut for Ministers, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman Friday.

He said the State Government has always been very prudent in its financial management.

“For Sabah, I think we manage our finances very prudently, we’ve been austere from the start. In terms of our expenses, we have no problem.

So there’s no need (for a pay cut) now,” he said.

He was asked to comment on the proposal made by MTUC President, Syed Shahir Syed Mohamud, that all Ministers take a pay cut if the economic situation in the country warrants it, saying workers should not be the only ones victimised following the global economic crisis.

The suggestion was made in the wake of reports late last year that Ministers and top civil servants in Singapore were subjected to pay cuts of up to 19 per cent this year in view of the gloomy economic outlook.

According to Syed Shahir, MTUC had received reports of some 13,000 people, mainly from the manufacturing sector, having been retrenched nationwide from October 2008 to January this year.

Met after launching the Masterskill College Metro campus at Plaza Juta, off Tuaran Road here, Musa said the State Government was working closely with the Health Ministry to find the best solution to the problems affecting the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH).

In the meantime, he said the State Government was also recommending that patients be placed at temporary medical facilities and hospitals in nearby districts.

Asked on the latest development of the QEH, Musa, who is also Finance Minister, said the State Government had submitted several proposals for the Health Ministry to study.

“We have no time frame but we are trying to solve the problem as soon as possible,” he said.

Meanwhile, Musa said the State Government welcomed the opening of the Masterskill Metro campus here as it provides opportunity to school leavers and locals to study in the healthcare sector.

He added it also augured well, with the opening of many new hospitals throughout the State, which require many skilled workers from the healthcare and services sectors.

To another question, Musa said an explanation would be sought from the State Government-linked company, Sabah Economic Development Corporation (Sedco), which holds a share in Guocera Tile Industries (Labuan) Sdn Bhd for the closing down of its factory.

However, Musa said the State Government’s share in the company was “small” and that the main shareholder was Hong Leong Group, so “it is beyond our control”.

“Nonetheless, we will ask Sedco to explain why they close down the factory,” he said.

It was reported that the closure of the company that started operation in 1982 had resulted in mass layoff of its 150 employees.

It had blamed its predicament on the steep hike in natural gas price by Sabah Energy Corporation (SEC).

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 23 (Bernama) — Malaysia’s labour-backed organisations today dismissed suggestions there was discrimination against women employees when it involved retrenchment.

Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) President Syed Shahir Syed Mohamud said it was a “wrong assumption”, just because women made up the majority in the electronic, electrical and textile industries.

Currently, these industries were laying off their workers, following the global economic downturn.

“While we sympathise with the loss of jobs, we cannot accuse the management of discrimination,” he told Bernama today.

Women, Family and Community Development Deputy Minister Noriah Kasnon was reported as saying that the Government was concerned with the statistics as half of the workers retrenched recently in the economic downturn were women.

This, she said, was despite the women making up only 35 per cent of the country’s total workforce.

Sharing similar sentiments as MTUC, Malaysian Employers Federation executive director Shamsuddin Bardan said retrenchment was the last resort by companies and usually based on “last come, first go” basis.

He assured that Malaysian employers were mindful about women’s rights and would not discriminate against them.

— BERNAMA

By Republika Newsroom

KUALA LUMPUR — Kongres serikat pekerja Malaysia (MTUC) menuntut agar gaji para menteri dan pengusaha dipotong jika keadaan ekonomi semakin gawat.

Presiden MTUC Syed Shahir Syed Mohamud mengatakan, tidak adil jika majikan meminta pekerja mengambil cuti tanpa gaji untuk menyelamatkan perusahaan tapi manajemen tidak melakukan hal yang sama, demikian harian Utusan Malaysia, Sabtu.

Langkah itu, lanjut Syed Shahir, efisiensi perusahaan harus dimulai dari tingkat manajemen termasuk para menteri untuk merasai beban yang ditanggung para pekerja. Jangan hanya menuntut para pekerja melakukan efisiensi dengan mengambil cuti panjang tanpa digaji, padahal mereka punya anak dan keluarga yang harus ditanggung.

Ia juga mengemukakan sebanyak 13.000 pekerja, mayoritas pekerja pabrik dan manufaktur diPHK di seluruh negara bagian Malaysia, antara Oktober 2008 hingga Januari 2009. Presiden MTUC itu mengatakan jumlah itu akan terus meningkat berdasarkan situasi ekonomi global. - ant/ahi

By : Audrey Dermawan

GEORGE TOWN, Fri: The Malaysian Trades Union Congress has proposed that all Cabinet ministers take a pay cut if the economic situation in the country warranted it.

To start the ball rolling, MTUC president Syed Shahir Syed Mohamud said companies which intend to lay off their workers, should first have the salaries of their bosses, including that of their chief executive officers, general managers and directors slashed.

Even the Penang state government has indicated that it would consider the proposal if the situation warrants.

Syed Syahir, however, did not specify the quantum to be deducted.

He said workers should not be the only ones victimised following the current global economic slowdown.
“All ministers and bosses should walk the talk and jointly share in the workers’ burden. This is only fair,” he told reporters after a meeting between MTUC and deputy chief minister Professor P. Ramasamy here yesterday.

It was the first official meeting between MTUC and the state government.

It was reported late last year that ministers and top civil servants in Singapore were subjected to a pay cut of up to 19 per cent this year in view of the clouded economic outlook.

Syed Shahir said from October, last year, to January, this year, MTUC has received reports of some 13,000 people, mainly from the manufacturing sector, retrenched nationwide.

Asked if there were more retrenchments in the state, Ramasamy said he has received news of some 600 foreign workers laid off at a factory in Bayan Lepas recently. It is learnt that the workers are from Globetronics Technology Bhd.

Ramasamy was, however, quick to point out that the situation in the state was still under control and that the state government was monitoring it.

Syed Shahir also expressed the hope that the federal government would expedite the implementation of the retrenchment fund.

“We have been advocating for the fund for the last 10 years but until now it has yet to be implemented. We hope the government will seriously look into this,” he added.

PENANG (Feb 13, 2009): The Malaysian Trade Union Congress (MTUC) has urged Cabinet ministers and top executives to take a salary cut to offset the impact of the economic slowdown.

Its president Syed Shahir Syed Mohamud said it would be unfair to ask workers to go on unpaid leave to save faltering companies while top executives did not make any sacrifices.

The austerity drive should start at the top and not the other way round, he told reporters after calling on Penang Deputy Chief Minister P.Ramasamy here today.

“We should emulate Singapore president and prime minister, who would be taking a salary cut next year, leading a civil-service-wide downward salary adjustment,” he said.

Syed Shahir said the MTUC deplored a statement from a former deputy minister who asked workers to take unpaid leave to save their companies from collapsing.

“Why only the workers who have to make the sacrifices? Cabinet ministers and employers should also do likewise. With their meagre income, the workers would be in dire straits if they were to take unpaid leave, especially those with large families,” he said.

Syed Shahir also called on the federal government to implement the retrenchment fund, which was mooted by MTUC 10 years ago, to help 13,000 workers who were already jobless since October last year.

Commenting on Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s remarks that only 1,313 workers from 31 companies in Penang were retrenched in January, he said the MTUC took a serious view on the matter.

The MTUC and the state government has agreed to work out a mechanism in dealing with workers retrenchment, he said, adding that the meeting also touched on the proposed MTUC workers complex in Penang.

Meanwhile, Ramasamy said Penang was prepared to consider a salary cut for state executive councillors should the economic situation worsened. — Bernama

Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 10 – “Not many Indians” are among the 7,000 foreign workers retrenched so far in Malaysia because of the global economic crisis.

Malaysia’s Human Resources Minister S. Subramanian told The Hindu on Sunday that electronics and textiles, the sectors now effected, hosted mainly Indonesian and Bangladeshi workers. The overall job losses were 15,000, including those held by Malaysians.

Indian workers were not hard hit and those affected “could be less than a few hundreds,” Dr Subramanian said. Indians were a conspicuous lot in the services and plantation sectors, which “have not been hit so far.”

The construction industry, hosting “some Indian workers,” was also largely “unaffected”.

Estimates of the number of Indian workers in Malaysia vary between 150,000 and 200,000. And, the two countries recently signed a labour pact providing for an “official framework” for figuring out “solutions of issues” about the terms and conditions of employment.

Interestingly, “there are still quite a number of vacancies” in the information technology sector in Malaysia, but foreigners would be preferred only in some “specialised areas where we cannot find locals.”

It was business as usual for Satyam’s IT operations in Malaysia, the Minister indicated. It had “not actually cut down or reduced” its work.

On the situation in Sri Lanka, he said the humanitarian crisis facing the Tamils “is a matter of concern to us [in the] Malaysian Indian Congress.”

Dr Subramanian, who represents the MIC in the government, said he “might request Malaysian Foreign Minister” to impress on Colombo to ensure that “the civilians are protected.”

Malaysia is hosting between 10,000 and 15,000 Sri Lankan refugees under the UN auspices. Asked about the speculation concerning the whereabouts of LTTE leader V. Prabakaran, Dr.

Subramanian said “we have got no evidence of that here [in Malaysia].” – The Hindu

By LEE YUK PENG and LOH FOON FONG (The Star)

KUALA LUMPUR: Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (PKR - Permatang Pauh) says former de facto Law Minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim is welcome to join PKR.

Despite admitting that he spoke to Zaid after the latter tendered his resignation as a minister, Anwar said he would give Zaid the space and time to reflect instead of pushing him to join the party.

“He is an asset to the nation.

“This is his choice. We are comfortable with him. We have seen him firmly defending human rights.

“He is committed to his principle against the draconian law,” said Anwar referring to Zaid’s stand against the use of the Internal Security Act (ISA).

Zaid resigned as a minister and senator on Sept 17 after he disagreed with the Government’s decision to detain a journalist, a blogger and a Pakatan MP under the ISA.

Anwar on Wednesday said Umno’s move to sack Zaid for attending the PKR function was intolerant and harsh.

He said this to reporters after meeting with Malaysian Trade Union Congress (MTUC) president Syed Shahir Syed Mohamud at the Parliament Lobby.

Syed Shahir said MTUC had presented a memorandum to the Finance Ministry against the use of RM5bil from the Employees Provident Fund for Valuecap Sdn Bhd.

Syed Shahir said MTUC was concerned with the usage of funds from workers’ hard earned money.

DAP Parliamentary Leader and Ipoh Timor MP Lim Kit Siang said the DAP is prepared to receive Zaid if he wants to join the party.

“Our doors are open,” he said.

Umno sacked Zaid on Tuesday for attending events organised by several opposition parties.

Beh Lih Yi |(Malaysiakini)

The Kuala Lumpur High Court today heard a journalist recounting his ordeal after he was arrested while covering an international conference on East Timor in 1996.

Taking the stand as the plaintiffs’ No 24 witness, Malaysiakini editor-in-chief Steven Gan told the court he was not the only journalist arrested at today’s hearing of the RM83 million civil suit.

The suit was filed by 36 local activists and journalists against the government and police for wrongful detention and negligence after an Umno Youth-mob stormed into the conference.

Six others plaintiffs’ witnesses who testified today were conference organisers and participants, Cynthia Gabriel, Syed Shahir Syed Mohamud, V Selvam, Yap Swee Seng, Tan Chin Hong and Liaw Say Lian.

Malaysiakini

MTUC condemns the government’s move to bail out Valuecap to support the local stock market using RM5 billion from EPF, as the provident fund is the custodian of the workers’ money and not some sort of ‘automated teller machine’ for the government.

If at all the EPF were to lend its money to the government, it has to be under the condition that there be transparency and accountability in the activities for which the money has been purposed.

We want to know who is doing what with the money that belongs to the workers. This is the hard-earned money of the workers, their retirement plan. How is this bailout plan going to benefit the workers?

We also question the reason for this bailout. If the economic fundamentals in Malaysia are strong and reserves sufficient as has been stated several times by the government, then why is there a need to offer so much money to the GLCs?

Second Finance Minister Nor Mohamed Yakcop should prove how the EPF would profit from this loan. Bernama had reported that Nor had given the assurance that the loan given out by EPF would reap profits for the fund judging from Valuecap’s past performance.

But where is the paperwork and calculations to show that this move will benefit the EPF? MTUC is concerned that the loan might be mismanaged or misused and this, in turn, would affect the returns for the contributors.

Mere assurances are not enough. We want to proof that this RM5 billion will not go down the drain.

(The writer is president, MTUC).

NST Online

BUTTERWORTH: The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) has called on the government to warn employers not to use the current world economic crisis to deprive workers of benefits like bonuses and claims.
MTUC president Syed Shahir Syed Mohamed said yesterday the warning was necessary to ensure employers did not blatantly victimise workers using the crisis as an excuse.

“They should be warned not to cut allowances and bonuses or reduce operations by reducing working hours.”

Syed Shahir also urged the government to clarify what was in store for the people instead of repeating that the fundamentals of the country were strong.

He urged the government to monitor the situation and prepare contingencies to protect the interest of workers before the situation deteriorated.

Star Online

BUTTERWORTH: Employers should not use the global economic crisis as an excuse to deprive workers of their rights, said MTUC president Syed Shahir Syed Mohd.

He said employers should find ways to deal with any impending economic problems instead of taking advantage of their workers.

So far, the movement had not received any complaints from workers deprived of their rights caused by the global economic crisis.

“We hope employers will come out with contingency plans to protect their workers instead of instituting retrenchment or depriving workers of their rights.

“Unfortunately, the Government has not stated what is in store for the people other than repeating that our fundamentals are strong,” Syed Shahir told reporters during a visit to the MTUC Penang office yesterday.

He said it was clear the crisis was the result of governments pursuing a free market policy in support of big capital and big businesses.

Syed Shahir said MTUC was concerned that employers would ask workers to make sacrifices, adding that the union was not prepared to accept any unfair burden imposed on workers.

“The Government should closely monitor the situation and prepare for contingencies. It should also take urgent pro-active measures to protect the interests of workers,” he said.

MTUC has some 500,000 members under 240 affiliations nationwide.

By SIM LEOI LEOI (Star Online)

PUTRAJAYA: The days of low wages for workers in the electronics and textile sectors may soon be over.

The Human Resources Ministry has given a directive for a wage council to be set up to look into the salaries of workers in both these sectors after receiving complaints that they “consistently received low wages.”

Its minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam said several commission of inquiries and wage councils had been formed previously to look into issues of minimum wages for workers in several sectors, such as security guards, clinic assistants, hotel and catering and general workers in small holdings.

“The ministry is currently undertaking steps to look into wages in the electronics and textile sectors. The wage council will conduct a nationwide inquiry by interviewing workers in these two industries and come up with recommendations.

“We hope they will be able to finish their work by the end of next year,” he told reporters Tuesday after receiving a memorandum on minimum wage from MTUC at his office here in conjunction of the World Day for Decent Work.

A similar wage council had recently approved a minimum wage for private security guards of between RM250 to RM700 to help ease their burden.

Subramaniam said while the Government did not agree on the implementation of a minimum wage for all workers, it recognised that it was necessary to offer decent salaries as the country was losing its skilled employees to its competitors.

“We are losing our skilled workers to Singapore and the Middle East. We may end up losing even more so we must come up with attractive salaries as a way of persuading them to stay on.

“I have requested the Malaysian Employers’ Federation to come up with guidelines on what is the appropriate salary for workers in the different areas in the private sector and how to implement them,” he said, adding that the ministry would also continue to hold dialogues with both employers and workers in sectors, which were not covered by the work of such councils.

He said the ministry was also taking steps to reduce the presence of foreign workers in the country, adding that the Cabinet had agreed on reducing the numbers by at least 500,000 persons and was thinking of ways and means of accomplishing this without it affecting businesses and the economy.

MTUC president Syed Shahir Syed Mohamud said the union would continue to pressure the Government on the issue of minimum wage of RM900 monthly for all workers despite the setting up of the wage councils.

“The wage councils are a separate issue for us and we are not against it. However, last year’s increase in salaries for civil servants have had a positive impact.

“So, we hope it’s time to give those working in the private sector a similar increase as well,” he said, adding that the memorandum also touched on the possible spillover effects of the financial crisis in United States and Europe on the workers here.

Besides minimum wage, the memorandum touched on issues such as unions and productivity-linked wage systems.

Star Online

PUTRAJAYA: A wage council has been set up to look into the low salaries of workers from the electronics and textile sectors.

“The wage council will conduct a nationwide inquiry by interviewing workers in these two industries and come up with recommendations on improving their wages,” said Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S. Subrama­niam.

He said the ministry had been receiving complaints that workers in the two sectors “consistently received low wages.”

“We hope the wage council will be able to finish its work by the end of next year,” he told reporters after receiving a memorandum on minimum wage from MTUC at his office yesterday. The MTUC’s memoramdum was submitted in conjunction with World Day for Decent Work yesterday.

Dr Subramaniam said several commission of inquiries and wage councils had been formed previously to look into minimum wages of security guards, clinic assistants, hotel and catering staff and general workers from small holdings.

The wage council on security guards recently approved a minimum wage for private security guards of between RM250 and RM700 to help ease their burden.

Subramaniam said while the Government did not agree on the implementation of a minimum wage scheme for all workers, it recognised that it was necessary to offer decent salaries as the coun­try was losing its skilled employees to its competitors.

“I have requested the Malaysian Employers’ Federation to come up with guidelines on what is the appropriate salary for workers in the different areas in the private sector and how to implement them,” he said, adding that the ministry would continue to hold dialogues with both employers and workers from sectors not covered by the wage councils.

MTUC president Syed Shahir Syed Mohamud said the union would continue to pressure the Government to compel employers to pay a monthly minimum wage of RM900 for all workers despite the setting up of wage councils.

By SIM LEOI LEOI (The Star)

PUTRAJAYA: The days of low wages for workers in the electronics and textile sectors may soon be over.

The Human Resources Ministry has given a directive for a wage council to be set up to look into the salaries of workers in both these sectors after receiving complaints that they “consistently received low wages.”

Its minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam said several commission of inquiries and wage councils had been formed previously to look into issues of minimum wages for workers in several sectors, such as security guards, clinic assistants, hotel and catering and general workers in small holdings.

“The ministry is currently undertaking steps to look into wages in the electronics and textile sectors. The wage council will conduct a nationwide inquiry by interviewing workers in these two industries and come up with recommendations.

“We hope they will be able to finish their work by the end of next year,” he told reporters Tuesday after receiving a memorandum on minimum wage from MTUC at his office here in conjunction of the World Day for Decent Work.

A similar wage council had recently approved a minimum wage for private security guards of between RM250 to RM700 to help ease their burden.

Subramaniam said while the Government did not agree on the implementation of a minimum wage for all workers, it recognised that it was necessary to offer decent salaries as the country was losing its skilled employees to its competitors.

“We are losing our skilled workers to Singapore and the Middle East. We may end up losing even more so we must come up with attractive salaries as a way of persuading them to stay on.

“I have requested the Malaysian Employers’ Federation to come up with guidelines on what is the appropriate salary for workers in the different areas in the private sector and how to implement them,” he said, adding that the ministry would also continue to hold dialogues with both employers and workers in sectors, which were not covered by the work of such councils.

He said the ministry was also taking steps to reduce the presence of foreign workers in the country, adding that the Cabinet had agreed on reducing the numbers by at least 500,000 persons and was thinking of ways and means of accomplishing this without it affecting businesses and the economy.

MTUC president Syed Shahir Syed Mohamud said the union would continue to pressure the Government on the issue of minimum wage of RM900 monthly for all workers despite the setting up of the wage councils.

“The wage councils are a separate issue for us and we are not against it. However, last year’s increase in salaries for civil servants have had a positive impact.

“So, we hope it’s time to give those working in the private sector a similar increase as well,” he said, adding that the memorandum also touched on the possible spillover effects of the financial crisis in United States and Europe on the workers here.

Besides minimum wage, the memorandum touched on issues such as unions and productivity-linked wage systems.

Star Online

THE proposed higher tax rebate for the lower middle-income group will save some 100,000 taxpayers from paying taxes and income from interest on savings will be tax exempted.

The tax rebate for those with taxable income of RM35,000 and below will be raised from RM350 to RM400 per person and there will be full import exemption on several food items, currently with taxes ranging from 2% to 20%, as well as a reduction in import duties of between 5% and 30% on home kitchen appliances.

Malaysian Employers Federation executive director Shamsuddin Bardan said the tax relief on perquisites provided by employers to employees would not encourage productivity.

“Such benefits should not be taxed at all, the exemption should be 100% and not RM2,400 per year and so on,” he said, adding that some employers want to reward their workers RM10,000 but the tax relief was only RM2,000.

Shrugging off the RM2,400 childcare allowance as too little, Shamsuddin proposed that the Government instead set up more childcare centres so that more women could enter the workforce and Malaysia could reduce its dependence on foreign workers.

He noted though that the Government’s incentive for training and enhancement of skills was a move in the right direction.

MTUC president Syed Shahir Syed Mohamud said the Government had not met its main request for private sector employees to get a cost of living allowance of at least RM300 as well as a minimum wage.

On the exemption of import duty on certain foodstuff and consumer durables, he said it would be better if it were for non-luxury items.

By : By R.S. Kamini and Evangeline Majawat (NST Online)

KUALA LUMPUR: Beads of sweat formed on her forehead as she stood waiting for the bus. She had waited for almost an hour at the dilapidated bus stop, its rusty corrugated zinc roof offering little shade from the unrelenting sun.
Clinic assistant Noraida Ibrahim, 35, calls her daily wait for the bus “vicious”. But she has little choice as she depends heavily on public transport to get around.

“The transport system is just bad. The service is poor, basic infrastructures and user safety are lacking,” Noraida said.

So much more can be done, she pointed out.

Like Noraida, the average Malaysian is hoping the 2009 Budget will seriously address the public transport system.
They hope that the budget, which will be tabled by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in Parliament today, targets issues which are burdening them as a direct result of the spike in oil prices.

The public transport system and social safety are expected to be the two core issues which will be given attention in the budget.

Pan Malaysian Bus Operators Association described the system as “lopsided and in dire need of a revamp”.

Its president, Datuk Mohamad Ashfar Ali, lamented that the current system was too “Klang Valley-focused”. He stressed that the “unfair system must be done away with” as small bus operators outside the Klang Valley were losing out.

“The government is not paying attention to the smaller towns. The bus operators there are crying out for help but it’s falling on deaf ears,” Mohamad Ashfar told the New Straits Times.

He hopes that 2009 Budget will have a big allocation to provide financial assistance to bus operators.

“Many small bus operators outside the Klang Valley are forced to shut down because of spiralling oil prices and operational costs,” Mohamad Ashfar said.

He also wants the government to freeze issuance of permits, saying there were more than enough bus operators.

“Right now, we have two or three operators servicing one route. It is a waste of resources and a recipe for disaster.

“What is needed is better organisation. Instead of getting new operators, we should revitalise the old ones as they have a wealth of experience.”

Mohamad Ashfar is also pushing for the government to expedite the setting up of the Land Transport Authority.

“This body should be focused on the planning, regulation and to oversee public transport nationwide.”

Federal Territory and Selangor Taxi Operators Association president Datuk Aslah Abdullah wants the government to subsidise the installation of natural gas (NGV) tank since it is not receptive to calls for an increase in taxi fares.

“It costs more than RM3,000 to install the NGV kit,” he said.

Aslah said every year, the government only focused on improving bus and train services and overlooked the needs of taxi operators.

Aslah also wants the government to abolish the five per cent sales tax on taxis to ease the burden of operators.

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia public transport expert Prof Dr Abd Rahim Md Nor suggested that all costs of running the public transport system be borne by both the government and operators.

“Perhaps the government can bear the fixed costs such as building infrastructure and buying new buses and trains. But the operational costs should be borne by the operators themselves,” Abd Rahim said.

He added that public transport users should be given incentives such as free feeder bus rides and rebates.

Abd Rahim stressed that the government must seriously look into improving and enhancing the system.

“There should be stewardship. Policies on public transportation are always changing. It’s a political toy to gain grassroots support. This must change,” Abd Rahim said.

Konsortium Transnasional Bhd chairman and managing director Datuk Mohd Nadzmi Mohd Salleh warned that next year was crucial for the government to “restore the people’s hope and confidence”.

“It’s a challenging time as the government must look into the bigger picture of taking care of the economy while their political standing is weakening,” Mohd Nadzmi said.

What is needed of the government, he said, was better methodology for managing and formulating public policies “which could ensure a higher probability success”.

He challenged the government not to take the populist strategy to sacrifice long-term benefits for support.

“The government must not be afraid. Sometimes, we need to swallow the bitter pill. If we delay doing so, repercussions will be on the economy.

“The policies must be consistent and pro-business. In the long run, I’m sure the rakyat will understand,” Mohd Nadzmi said.

On economic support for the people, Malaysian Trade Union Congress wants a proper allocation of subsidies, especially for the low- and middle-income earners.

“Inflation rate is a real killer. The purchasing power is low and there is a need to review salary adjustments based on the current situation,” said MTUC president Syed Shahir Syed Mohamud

“Things are expensive now. If there are no pay adjustments, many would find it difficult to cope with the rising cost of living,” he said.

Syed Shahir said several issues such as minimum wage and cost of living allowance (COLA) needed to be constantly reviewed due to the economic uncertainties.

“Provide subsidies to the right group of people, especially low-income earners. This is not subsidy mentality but simply a matter of sharing resources.”

Syed Shahir said the Budget 2009 needed to avoid rhetorics such as “people friendly” and making general statements about incentives as that would confuse the people.

His sentiment was shared by Cuepacs president Omar Osman.

Omar said it was important for every household to balance their cash flow and expenses.

“The authorities should control the prices of goods from escalating and provide incentives in the form of bonuses or salary adjustments for civil servants to ease their burden,” he said.

Associate Professor Dr Sulochana Nair, who is also director for the Centre of Poverty and Development Studies, Universiti Malaya, suggested that the poor be given a provision card of some sort.

“Such a scheme would ensure that only the deserving receives subsidies.”

He added that public transport users should be given incentives such as free feeder bus rides and rebates.

Abd Rahim stressed that the government must seriously look into improving and enhancing the system.

“There should be stewardship. Policies on public transportation are always changing. It’s a political toy to gain grassroots support. This must change,” Abd Rahim said.

Konsortium Transnasional Bhd chairman and managing director Datuk Mohd Nadzmi Mohd Salleh warned that next year was crucial for the government to “restore the people’s hope and confidence”.

“It’s a challenging time as the government must look into the bigger picture of taking care of the economy while their political standing is weakening,” Mohd Nadzmi said.

What is needed of the government, he said, was better methodology for managing and formulating public policies “which could ensure a higher probability success”.

He challenged the government not to take the populist strategy to sacrifice long-term benefits for support.

“The government must not be afraid. Sometimes, we need to swallow the bitter pill. If we delay doing so, repercussions will be on the economy.

“The policies must be consistent and pro-business. In the long run, I’m sure the rakyat will understand,” Mohd Nadzmi said.

On economic support for the people, Malaysian Trade Union Congress wants a proper allocation of subsidies, especially for the low- and middle-income earners.

“Inflation rate is a real killer. The purchasing power is low and there is a need to review salary adjustments based on the current situation,” said MTUC president Syed Shahir Syed Mohamud

“Things are expensive now. If there are no pay adjustments, many would find it difficult to cope with the rising cost of living,” he said.

Syed Shahir said several issues such as minimum wage and cost of living allowance (Cola) needed to be constantly reviewed due to the economic uncertainties.

“Provide subsidies to the right group of people, especially low-income earners. This is not subsidy mentality but simply a matter of sharing resources.”

Syed Shahir said the 2009 Budget needed to avoid rhetoric such as “people friendly” and making general statements about incentives as that would confuse the people.

His sentiment was shared by Cuepacs president Omar Osman.

Omar said it was important for every household to balance their cash flow and expenses.

“The authorities should control the prices of goods from escalating and provide incentives in the form of bonuses or salary adjustments for civil servants to ease their burden,” he said.

Associate Professor Dr Sulochana Nair, who is also director for the Centre of Poverty and Development Studies, Universiti Malaya, suggested that the poor be given a provision card of some sort.

“Such a scheme would ensure that only the deserving receives subsidies.”

NST Online
By : Audrey Dermawan, Melissa Darlyne Chow and Shuhada Elis

GEORGE TOWN: It’s thumbs down to Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s declaration of a public holiday tomorrow to ensure a full turnout of voters for the Permatang Pauh by-election.
Businesses described Lim’s decision as bad, saying he was only interested in playing politics rather than looking after their interests.

Lim said the holiday was to ensure a good turnout of voters for the by-election.

“We also request all factories to help their workers in Permatang Pauh to carry out their duties to determine not only their choice of wakil rakyat but also decide on the destiny of the country.”

A total of 58,459 registered voters in the area are eligible to cast their votes for the parliamentary seat.
He said he had been mulling over the decision to declare a state public holiday since the Election Commission fixed Aug 26, a working day, as polling day.

The by-election sees a three-cornered fight involving Barisan Nasional’s Datuk Arif Shah Omar Shah, Parti Keadilan Rakyat’s Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Angkatan Keadilan Insan Malaysia’s Hanafi Hamat.

Malaysian Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry president N. Gobalakrishnan said it was unnecessary for Lim to declare a state-wide public holiday. He said Lim’s action was unfair to businesses.

Gobalakrishnan’s opinion was shared by Penang Malay Chamber of Commerce president Rizal Faris Mohideen Abdul Kader.

He said although every individual had a right to vote, there was no need for the state to be given a public holiday.

Meanwhile, other Penangites also voiced their unhappiness about the state-wide public holiday.

Businesswoman Amnah Mat, 53, said the public holiday was not necessary as it was not a general election.

“This only affects the people of Permatang Pauh. Furthermore, employers are the ones who should give time off to their workers to go and vote.”

Another trader, who wanted to be known only as Tan, concurred with Amnah, saying the by-election only involved Permatang Pauh.

Public holiday or not, Tan said it would be business as usual for her.

Taxi driver S. Krishnan, 45 said: “If the public holiday is given to schools, then it is OK. But there is no need for a state-wide public holiday.”

Meanwhile, in Kuala Lum-pur, Malaysian Employers Federation executive director Shamsuddin Bardan said companies in Penang could choose to close or to operate.

He said since the holiday was declared by the state government, they were not obligated to follow the decision.

Shamsuddin said under the Employment Act 1995, it was only compulsory for companies to shut down their premises if the Federal Government declared a public holiday.

He said the holiday would affect work productivity and should only be given to companies in Permatang Pauh.

“For others, I think giving time off for a few hours is more appropriate than the whole day.”

However, he said arguments would arise between companies and employees if the latter were not given a day off on the polling day.

National Union of the Teaching Profession president Anuar Ibrahim said the holiday would “interrupt education” but added that the by-election was a “very exclusive” situation.

Malaysian Trades Union Congress president Syed Shahir Syed Mohamud said the holiday was necessary as voters would not have to travel back and forth from their workplace to the polling station.

“We shouldn’t forget that there are voters staying in Kulim, Parit Buntar or even further away from Permatang Pauh.”

Cuepacs president Omar Asman said it was a good idea because parents would not have to worry about sending their children to school tomorrow. “It would be easier for them to carry out their responsibilities as voters.”