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 its nationwide picket at 5pm against amendments to the Employment Act here and 19 other spots nationwide.
Motorists driving by the previously deserted roads honk noisily in support of the demonstrators holding aloft placards that read: “Jangan tukar akta sekerja”; “Hentikan pindaan sekarang” and “Menteri tipu pekerja”, and chant “Hidup MTUC! Hidup pekerja!”
Festivity fills the air as the demonstrators, donning their various union colours, take to singing through loudhailers and beating a beat on kompangs as they line the sidewalk that stretch out as far as 100m away from the EPF building.
The crowd whistle loudly each time a federal opposition leader arrives. The DAP’s Lim Kit Siang has been joined by allies from PKR, PAS and others from Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM).
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, erodes worker protection.
Its secretary-general Abdul Halim Mansor had said some 500 people would take part at each location.
MTUC president Khalid Atan who arrived shortly after declared the picket a success.
He told the crowd some 2,000 people took part in 18 locations nationwide and added that the picket at Jalan Raja Lau has hit its targeted 500 mark.
In Petaling, a similar festivity fills the air outside Wisma TWU in Jalan Barat, opposite the Hilton hotel though the number of picketeers is far smaller.
At the start, there were only 10 demonstrators but they grew to about 80 within the half hour.
The gathering has been peaceful so far.
http://www.kl-today.com/2011/11/hundreds-attend-mtuc-picket/
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