Ministry of Human Resources and Ministry of Communications and Multimedia must step in to ensure BTV staffs receive their salary immediately.
Section 19(1) of the Employment Act 1955 makes it compulsory for the employers to pay their employees the wages not later than the seventh day after the last day of any wage period the wages. Therefore all the directors, managers, or other similar officers of BTV have committed an offence under the Employment Act, and upon conviction, they can be fined not exceeding RM10,000.
While BTV is a private company, but Bernama Berhad, the national news agency of Malaysia, owes a third of shares in BTV. It is a shame that a statutory body is now involved in exploiting its staff.
Bernama TV Synergy Sdn Bhd was formed in 2008, however an extract at the Companies Commission of Malaysia showed that it has never filed the Annual Returns to the Registrar of Companies together with their Audited Financial Reports. This is clearly a breach of section 169 of the Companies Act 1965, which is punishable with imprisonment for 5 years or fine of thirty thousand ringgit.
Question is, did CCM take action against BTV and its directors?
The extract also shows that YB Senator Datuk Mohd Suhaimi bin Abdullah, also Ketua Bahagian UMNO Gunung Jerai, is one of the directors and shareholders of Bernama TV Synergy Sdn Bhd.
So not only our statutory body is involved, but a Senator is also part of those who oppress the staff of BTV.
And if no action has been taken by CCM and Ministry of Human Resources, was it because of the influence and involvement of Datuk Mohd Suhaimi?
All are equal before the law. We shall see if that is the case in Malaysia.