And the Malaysian police did break-up and disperse at least one of the MTUC nationwide picket on 3/11/2011...
It is surprising that there so little (almost none in some cases) media coverage of this very important nationwide picket by workers and MTUC (whose members only is over 800,000) calling for the government to withdraw the proposed amendments to the Employment Act...
Would not be surprised that the mainstream media were 'advised' not to cover this event ....or any of the arguments against this amendment... It is a very good strategy ... because Malaysians would not know about the issues - and may even believe that the MTUC is against worker rights unlike our BN government who is always for promotion and protection of worker rights...
If the issue or the objections are not covered - people will forget and the law can easily be changed....
If there is no coverage - it will also 'weaken' the will of MTUC and those that protest these amendments. Politicians and political parties may also not be bothered since 'no use' --- as no media/press coverage...
MTUC's protests apparently saw the participation of some 10,000 persons and for Malaysia, that is significant....
What now? Somehow for this current Malaysian government who just do not listen or care for the worker, the ordinary people ...and who also manage to effectively shut off the voices of the people through 'black-outs' or 'advice' or just not responding/addressing the grievances. Sweep it under the carpet ---- or re-focus on something else, and this time our attention was drawn to 'Sexuality Merdeka' ...
The protest against the amendments need to continue - now and with greater effort. There must be 'education campaigns' and more and more protests against this proposed amendment of the Employment Act.... Best if MTUC leads... if not hopefully some other may need to take the lead...
Kota Kinabalu: The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC-Sabah chapter's) planned picket against the Employment Act 1955 fizzled out even before it started at an open area facing Tang Dynasty Hotel, Thursday evening.
City police dispersed the gathering just as union members began to display placards showing their objection to several amendments to the Act at about 5.50pm.
About 30 people joined the demonstration to express their dissatisfaction over the amendments to the Act that they claimed could jeopardise their job security and workers' rights.
Some raised their arms to show their opposition to the amendments while several others displayed the placards for several minutes before City Police Chief ACP Ahmad Sofi Zakaria took a loud hailer and told the group to disperse within 10 minutes. He declared the rally as illegal as MTUC Sabah did not apply for a permit from the police.
The gathering led by MTUC Sabah Chairman Awang Ali Awang Raji complied with the police order and those who displayed the placards were asked to give their particulars to the police.
Police seized two placards that stated their objection to the amendments to the Act and one placard which called for the withdrawal of the amendments, claiming that the opposition would, otherwise, win in the coming general election.
There was a minor commotion when few MTUC members questioned the police for taking down the names and particulars of those displaying the placards, saying it went against the assurance of the Minister.
Ahmad Sofi said police received information about the picket and deployed 71 policemen to safeguard the area to avoid untoward incidents.
"No one was detained. We only took the particulars of five people for monitoring purposes," he said.
On Nov 1, MTUC Sabah Secretary Catherine Jikunan was reported as saying the amendments may see the Sabah Labour Ordinance adjusted to correspond with the new Bill if it is approved by Parliament, thus exposing Sabahans to an unstable job environment, especially in the private sector.
"It will create a modern day slavery and the new Act will have job seekers register at labour outsourcing companies to be offered job contracts from their employers.
"This way workers will not have a stable job because there is no guarantee to their jobs like security of tenure. You may be working in a hotel industry one day, plantation next and later construction and so on.
So you do not have any permanent employer," Jikunan said.
The amendments to the Act were first tabled on July 8, 2010 but withdrawn on Oct 12 the same year.
However, it was again proposed on Oct 11 this year and the Human Resource Ministry has snubbed MTUC's protests.
MTUC plans to submit a memorandum to the Agong if the Act is eventually approved in Parliament.- Daily Express, 4/11/2011, Cops disallow picket as no permit sought
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