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DAP supports MTUC's plan to
picket on 21 May to demand for higher dividend for 10.3 million EPF
members
Press Statement
by Ronnie Liu
(Petaling Jaya,
Friday):
DAP has decided to support the
nation-wide picket planned by the MTUC to protest against the EPF's lowest
dividend in 40 years (4.25%) and to demand for higher dividend. MTUC has
earlier announced to hold pickets at every EPF office around the country on
21 May.
DAP Central Executive Committee has
decided to launch a nation-wide leaflet campaign to highlight the plight of
the EPF members and to expose the mismanagement and malpractice of the EPF
Board and its Investment Panel. The party will also press for reforms and
changes to safeguard the interest of the 10.3 million EPF contributors.
The party will mobilise every member
and leader to take part in the campaign and also to participate in the
pickets as a mark of solidarity with the workers. We also like to urge EPF
members all over the country to show up in full force on the day, to send a
loud and clear message to the EPF and the Malaysian Government that "enough
is enough". It's time for the EPF to take care of the interest of its
members, instead of serving the interest of the cronies of political
leaders.
The party also supports the proposal
to amend the Industrial Relations Act 1967 to allow cases of wrongful
dismissal to be referred to the Industrial Court automatically. Section 20
of the act stipulates that any worker who feels he has been unfairly
dismissed can submit his complaints to the Industrial Relation Department (IRD)
which will then hold a meeting between the worker and his employer to
resolve the dispute. If the dispute is not settled, the IRD will submit a
report to the Minister of Human Resources for him to decide whether the case
should be brought to the Industrial Court.
It was reported that the Human
Resources Minister Datuk Dr Fong Chan On has stopped at least 20 cases from
being heard in the last 12 months. We agree with MTUC's sec-gen
G.Rajasekaran' s contention that Fong's action could promote unfair labour
practice and encourage more and more employers to dismiss workers without
cause as they can always rely on the minister's discretion to throw out the
case.
(16/5/2003)
* Ronnie Liu Tian Khiew, DAP
national publicity secretary
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http://dapmalaysia.org