MTUC is `shocked, extremely disappointed' with Saravanan's police report

Dato Halim Mansor (left) and J. Solomon during a press conference. - File Photo

By Johardy Ibrahim
editor@dagangnews.com

KUALA LUMPUR 20 May – Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) is `shocked and extremely disappointed’ of the police report lodged by the Human Resources Minister, Datuk M Saravanan towards NUBE Secretary General, J Solomon for `a mere statement of fact that he made’.

Presiden of MTUC, Dato Halim Mansor said, there is absolutely nothing wrong with Solomon’s proposal and to make a report for criminal defamation only shows that the minister is intolerant, something that does not augur well for the Malaysian workforce that is already under severe stress now because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

He said, MTUC is absolutely flabbergasted with Saravanan’s move at a time when the ministry should be seeking the help of unions to make their lives easier, and not go to police to try and shield them from legitimate criticism.

“I wonder if the minister is being told the exact sentiments of workers on the ground by his advisors.

“Maybe Saravanan is not aware but his act of lodging a report against a senior and hardworking trade union leader has only upset the workforce and workers who are already angry and upset. This action will create more resentment against the government obviously,” said Halim in a statement here today.

Below is his full statement:

Talk to us, don’t lodge police reports to intimidate unions, says MTUC

Dato Halim Mansor, President of MTUC

20 May 2021

 

1. In my 40 years of having been a union leader at the highest levels, I have made thousands of media statements questioning government actions and implementation of labour laws that have made life difficult for the poor workers. I have also agreed with some of them and supported accordingly. Others have been honest and hard-hitting as they needed to be such.

2. For the record, I have handled labour issues under nearly 10 Human resources Ministers and NONE of them had resorted to lodge reports against me for statements that I had made in defence of the workers.

3. So when I read of the current Human Resources Minister M. Saravanan lodging a police report against former MTUC secretary-general and current NUBE general secretary J Solomon for a mere statement of fact that he made, I was not only shocked but extremely disappointed.

4. Solomon, on behalf of NUBE and workers in the country carried out his legitimate duty of speaking up for the poor workers who are at the mercy of big employers. He wanted the relaxation of the implementation of Workers’ Minimum Standards of Housing and Amenities Act 1990 (Act 446) to be reviewed. If this is wrong, I must say the government has descended to a very low level.

5. The minister had in April announced that the enforcement of Act 446 rules governing workers’ housing standards will be postponed until the end of the year following representations from the manufacturing sector which had asked for more time in view of the Covid-19.  That statement was carried by most media outlets.

6. Over the last month, the number of workplace Covid-19 clusters have been on the rise and, naturally, unions have every right to bring up issues concerning the workers, especially the lowly paid ones, who depend on the employers for a reasonably clean and comfortable housing.

7. There is absolutely nothing wrong with his proposal and to make a report for criminal defamation only shows that the minister is intolerant, something that does not augur well for the Malaysian workforce that is already under severe stress now because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

8. MTUC is absolutely flabbergasted with his move at a time when the ministry should be seeking the help of unions to make their lives easier, and not go to police to try and shield them from legitimate criticism. I wonder if the minister is being told the exact sentiments of workers on the ground by his advisors.

9. Maybe Saravanan is not aware but his act of lodging a report against a senior and hardworking trade union leader has only upset the workforce and workers who are already angry and upset. This action will create more resentment against the government obviously.

10. Therefore, we urge the Prime Minister to urge Saravanan and other ministers to listen to the views of unions and not cut us off with attempts to intimidate by this sort of action. The PM must know that the action of his Cabinet ministers will have a direct bearing on how much anger of hatred it will build against the government. No one should under-estimate the sufferings the workers are going through and the anger that is building up on the ground.

11. Saravanan should immediately withdraw his unsavoury action against Solomon and the workers and mend the fence instead of damaging the relationship that is vital for a harmonious industrial relationship for a progressive nation.

12. All he should do is call us up when he is not happy with our views so that we can discuss and make lives better for the workers. He must come down from his Ivory Tower and see what is happening on the ground. It is really bad, to be honest. - DagangNews.com

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