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?
The indiscriminate Goods and Services Tax (GST) on all consumables which was supposedly intended to help support the country’s cost and expenses and debts must be abolished.
Simply because the GST is eating into the earnings of the working class. Low income workers suffer the most. We bear the cost GST from breakfast to lunch to dinner, from groceries to the milk we feed our children, from car for transportation to affordable housing, even for the simplest form of entertainment – a show at the cinemas.
The GST, rakes in billions of Ringgit every year is flaunted back as gifts, goodies and handouts in the pretext of spending for the nation, instead of long term comprehensive structural measures to alleviate workers’ financial stress.
The selective manner by which the GST is applied was exposed with the recent uncovering of the estimated RM3.3billion GST waiver to China Communications Construction Company Ltd (CCCC). This is proof that workers bear the high costs of the nation’s expenses with every single choice we make as consumers.
May 1, Labour Day is a day we commemorate workers’ rights won over the years. It is a day we should celebrate every worker who has made significant contributors to the nation’s economy. It is also a day to support the Workers’ Demands published recently in the run up to the 14th Malaysia General Elections.
The presence of every worker’s at the Workers Rally at Wisma MTUC in USJ Subang from 8am – 1pm, has a stamp of solidarity that will bring us closer to realising our workers’ demands.
Address: Wisma MTUC,10-5, Jalan USJ 9/5T, 47620 Subang Jaya,Selangor | Tel: 03-80242953 | Fax: 03-80243225 | Email: sgmtuc@gmail.com.com