By Clara Chooi and Lisa J. Ariffin
November 03, 2011
Picture by Choy Choo May
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 3 — Despite a slow start, a workers’ protest against a new labour
law outside the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) building in Jalan Raja Laut here swelled from 50 people to 200 within a half hour and rising.
The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC), an umbrella body comprising 390 labour unions representing 802,323 members, kicked off at 5pm its nationwide picket against amendments to the Employment Act here and 19 other spots nationwide.
Motorists driving by the previously deserted roads honked noisily in support of the demonstrators holding aloft placards that read: “Jangan tukar akta sekerja”; “Hentikan pindaan
Protesters by Jalan Barat in Petaling Jaya during their protest against the
amendments to the Employment Act November 3 2011. — Picture by Jack Ooi
sekarang” and “Menteri tipu pekerja”, and chant “Hidup MTUC! Hidup pekerja!”
Festivity filled the air as the demonstrators, donning their various union colours and some even wearing Halloween masks, took to singing through loudhailers, blowing on whistles and beating a beat on kompangs as they line the sidewalk that stretch out as far as 100 metres in front of the EPF building.
Some had come in colourful raincoats and bandanas in anticipation of rain but the picket continued peacefully beneath clear skies. Only a small group of uniformed policemen kept watch nearby.
The crowd whistled loudly each time a federal opposition leader arrived. The DAP’s Lim Kit Siang, Wong Ho Leng, A. Sivanesan and M. Kulasegaran were joined by allies from PKR, PAS and others from Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM).
Workers hold up their protest banner by Jalan Barat in Petaling Jaya November 3 2011. — Picture by Jack Ooi
The country’s main labour centre for the private sector have accused the government of bringing back “slave-like” conditions with the amendments which, they said, erode protection for workers.
Its secretary-general Abdul Halim Mansor had said some 500 people would take part at each location.
In Petaling Jaya, a similar festivity filled the air outside Wisma TWU in Jalan Barat, opposite the Hilton hotel though the number of picketeers were far smaller.
At the start, there were only 10 demonstratorsm but they grew to about 80 within the half hour.
MTUC president Khalid Atan who arrived at the Jalan Raja Laut protest shortly after it kicked off, declared the picket a success.
He said some 2,000 people took part in 18 locations nationwide and added that the picket at Jalan Raja Laut has hit its targeted 500 mark.
“The response is very encouraging and we hope this picket will send a clear message across to the government that we reject these labour law amendments,” he told a harried press conference on the sidelines of the protest.
He said although Parliament had already passed the contentious amendments to the law on October 6, the MTUC was still willing to negotiate changes and work with the Human Resources Ministry.
“I will not speculate on what our next move will be after this picket but we will deliberate on this during our next general council meeting and keep you informed,” he said.
Khalid also defended the attendance of opposition lawmakers at the picket, stressing that MTUC had not issued any formal invitations to any political party.
“We did not know they planned to attend and we cannot tell them to leave. Perhaps they felt it is their duty as an MP to show support.
“But MTUC is non-partisan,” he said.
The entire gathering remained peaceful and protestors dispersed without any untoward incident shortly before 6.30pm.
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/little-spark-in-kl-as-workers-picket-new-labour-law/
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