Malaysia is one of Asia's biggest employers of foreign labour. But recently, cases of deaths, abuse and forced labour have come to light. What is going on? Who is protecting these migrant workers?
But the question is whether one week is adequate notice for a matter with far-reaching
ramifications and whose implementation would involve a radical re-thinking in
public policy. It seems that the MTUC was expecting no less than a response
to its minimum wage proposal from the prime minister himself.
<p>But considering that Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was in Russia on the
day the MTUC handed in its seven-page memorandum and is now in Italy on a three-day
official visit, this must be regarded as an unreasonable expectation, more so
as Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has indicated there are plans
to set up a meeting with the prime minister.</p>
<p>Moreover, the government has not rejected the proposal out of hand. Instead,
it has shown a readiness to sit down with the unionists to discuss the matter.</p>
<p>In any event, the prime minister did not pour cold water on the idea at a press
conference in Rome, although he did raise concerns about the effects of a minimum
wage policy on the nation’s competitiveness and other matters. "All
these factors have to be thought through", as he pointed out, and have
to be "examined carefully".</p>
<p>Unless the MTUC was expecting the unexpected, this is as positive a response
it can get from a government whose long-standing policy has been that market
forces, and not government regulation, should determine wage rates.</p>
<p>A minimum wage of RM900 and Cola of RM300 would no doubt be overwhelmingly
popular with most of the Malaysian public. It would be proper to help workers
on the lowest rungs of the occupational ladder live a little bit more comfortably.
But there are legitimate concerns about the value of the minimum wage as an
anti-poverty tool.</p>
<p>The jury is still out even in those countries with minimum wage legislation.
It is true that the minimum wage issue has been raised more than once in the
past by the trade union movement. Nevertheless, this is still new terrain for
this country, and the government has every reason to proceed with caution and
to study all the implications.</p>
<p>The willingness of the unions in the private — and public — sector
to avoid direct confrontation in resolving disputes and to minimise disruptive
industrial action is now being put to the test.</p>
<p>Dialogue, and not rallies, marches, pickets or strikes, should be the way to
go.</p>
<p><i>Source: http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Wednesday/Columns/20070627083925/Article/index_html</i>
Address: Wisma MTUC,10-5, Jalan USJ 9/5T, 47620 Subang Jaya,Selangor | Tel: 03-80242953 | Fax: 03-80243225 | Email: sgmtuc@gmail.com.com