HR Ministry hopes Dewan Negara to approve Industrial Relations Act amendment

IPOH, Dec 8 — The Ministry of Human Resources will leave the decision to approve the proposed amendments to the Industrial Relations Act (APP) 1967 to the members of the Dewan Negara.

Its minister, M. Kulasegaran, expressed his hope that the proposed amendments would receive the support from all members of the Dewan Negara as there were rumours of certain parties were trying to lobby the senators from the opposition to reject the amendment.

“This (review to reform labour law) is workers’ unions’ new initiative, we hope that when it is tabled (at the Dewan Negara) it will obtain the support from the senators.

“My role is to expand and strengthen the role of trade unions in the country,” he told reporters after launching the Community and Fun programme here today.

Yesterday, Perak Consumer Affairs, National Integration and Human Resources Committee chairman A Sivanesan claimed that were certain parties were lobbying for opposition senators to reject the proposed amendments.

Sivanesan said there were 32 amendments proposed by Kulasegaran in the APP 1967 and 18 of them involved workers.

Earlier, the Malaysian Trade Union Congress (MTUC) claimed that the proposed amendment to the act which was tabled in the Dewan Rakyat on Oct 7 and passed two days later was without its knowledge.

Its secretary-general J Solomon said the amendments which now awaiting the approval of the Dewan Negara would cause several workers’ unions to be created in one workplace, thus damaging relations among workers and undermining the union’s solidarity.

Kulasegaran previously refuted the MTUC’s allegation that the union was not referred to in the review of the labour law reforms, and described Solomon’s statement as false, irresponsible and inappropriate.

Kulasegaran said the ministry had nine meetings in the National Labour Advisory Council (NLAC), of which MTUC was a member, as well as various technical committee meetings since January. — Bernama