Picket against Employment Act amendment in Johor Bahru

40 people have gathered along Jalan Skudai, near Tampoi Indah, to picket against the amendments to Employment Act 1955, which was supposed to be tabled in Parliament.

The protesters comprising of representative from Malaysian Trade Union Congress (MTUC), Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM), Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM), and some Pakatan Rakyat supporters gathered to show their displeasure over the purported amendments to the Employment Act.

Johor division, MTUC secretary, Mohanadas Krishnan urged the “rakyat” to support MTUC to push against the Employment Act amendment.

“The amendment to Employement Act is very detrimental to the workers rights,” said Nusajaya PSM branch chairperson, V.P. Mohan.

Meanwhile, Johor Bahru PAS chief, Rosli Kemin said that if the amendment goes through in the parliament, it will grossly infringe the workers rights and the mere suggestion of it should be shot down. He also added that the workers rights have to be protected and must be fought for.

SUARAM coordinator, Fang Pei Fan, meanwhile said the amendment of the act will make the workers livelihood to suffer more.

The police dispersed the crowd at 6.00pm.

Earlier this week, approximately 300 members of the Malaysian Trade Union Congress (MTUC) gathered peacefully in front of Parliament in Kuala Lumpur to protest the proposed amendments to the Employment Act 1955.

MTUC President, Mohd Khalid Atan  had expressed concern that the proposed amendment would not properly protect the rights of contract labourers, adding that the Bill should not go through as it had not been tabled or deliberated at the National Labour Advisory Council (NLAC).

Khalid had also met up with the Minister of Human Resources, S Subramaniam on the same day to convey the decision of  MTUC to reject the amendments and hoped that the  Prime Minister will intervene in this matter.

Video by Vijaya Kumar Rahman, Citizen Journalist