Unionists doubt BN’s sincerity on wage floor
By Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani, The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 14 — Unionists remain unsure if the Barisan Nasional’s (BN) sudden interest in a minimum wage policy is genuine or just an election ploy ahead of possible snap polls soon.
The Najib administration is to discuss the policy in its weekly Cabinet meeting tomorrow and Human Resources Minister Datuk S. Subramaniam has said the government could table a bill on the issue in next March’s Parliament sitting.
The policy may benefit some five million workers and has been seen as an attempt by BN to regain the two-thirds parliamentary majority it lost in Election 2008.
The ruling federal coalition and the national trade centre, Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC), yesterday organised a forum on minimum wage, although more than 400 unionists and activists were disappointed by the rampant rhetoric.
Unionist A. Sivanandan told The Malaysian Insider that he hopes the co-operation between BN and MTUC would not be politically motivated and only beneficial to selected parties.
“I hope that this forum will not become a political agenda for certain individuals. I hope all are sincere in elevating the worker’s plight because minimum wage is long overdue and that is something which needs to be implemented immediately.
“We have been talking for 60 over years and nothing has materialised. I think enough is enough,” said the Selangor textile union secretary-general.
He also stressed that the government should not politicise the minimum wage because it was an issue they were obliged to resolve.
“I hope that this is not a political agenda for their own end. The credit should not go to BN but the workers and especially the MTUC who has been struggling for minimum wage. Don’t politicise this issue, it is their responsibility,” said Sivanandan.
MTUC president Syed Shahir Syed Mohamud added the government must beyond talking about the matter or risk losing support from the labour unions.
“What matters to us is how serious the government is in minimum wage. Enough of rhetoric because what we want is the implementation of wage law in this country and more importantly at what rate.
“I am not sure if this is an election move, but of course, this issue is something close to the workers and we know very well that they need support from all parties, especially the workers,” said Syed Shahir.
Another unionist, Rosli Majid, questioned whether BN’s move was only a political gimmick to gain popular support.
“We have been talking about minimum wage since 1930s but we are suspicious because certainly they have some reasons since the election is coming. We are worried that this is a hidden agenda by the politic parties and government to raise this issue just for their name and to gain back the support of the workers,” said the TNB junior officers’ union president.
