MTUC says human resources minister responsible for incomplete Malaysian delegation to International Labour Conference, denies leadership void

KUALA LUMPUR, June 8 — The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) today accused the human resources minister of misleading the public and interfering in the union’s internal affairs, amid controversy surrounding Malaysia’s participation in the 113th International Labour Conference (ILC).

In a strongly worded statement, MTUC said the minister had no authority to claim the organisation lacked leadership, asserting that the current leadership lies with the Joint Special Committee, which was established by a Court of Appeal order in February this year.

Human Resources Minister Steven Sim Chee Keong was singled out by MTUC as being responsible for what it called a failure to ensure proper representation of Malaysian workers at the ILC.

“The minister should be held responsible for the failure of an incomplete Malaysian delegation to the ILC,” MTUC said.

“The MTUC is the most represented organisation of workers in Malaysia. As required by the International Labour Organisation’s Constitution, the MTUC is responsible for nominating the workers’ delegation, while the minister’s duty is merely to deposit the names submitted by MTUC.”

MTUC added that preparations for its upcoming leadership elections, scheduled for August 2 and 3, were progressing well and dismissed any suggestion of a leadership vacuum.

It also accused the minister of misusing government machinery, including the Attorney General’s Chambers, to cover his alleged misconduct.

The union noted that Malaysia has been shortlisted for discussion at the ILC regarding its compliance with Convention 98, which concerns the right to organise and bargain collectively.

MTUC criticised the minister for failing to ensure that Malaysian workers’ representatives were properly registered at the ILC, accusing him of attempting to avoid scrutiny of the country’s labour laws, particularly concerning anti-union discrimination.

“If indeed, the minister was sincere in wanting to ensure that workers are represented at the ILC, he would have contacted and discussed with the Joint Special Committee as soon as the invitation from the ILO was received,” MTUC said.

The union stressed the importance of having a complete and robust tripartite delegation at the ILC to advance labour reforms and national development, instead of sidelining MTUC’s role.