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?
Two members of the union’s Kedah branch lodged separate reports yesterday
claiming that a NUBE official had used the money for three projects which were
not approved by the executive council.
<p>One of the two complainants, a 45-year-old union member who declined to be
named, said the official had awarded a RM2 million contract to a contractor
to renovate NUBE’s training centre in Port Dickson without the consent
of union members.</p>
<p>It was alleged that the official had also approved a RM40,000 "study trip"
to Australia for 10 of his close allies earlier this month.</p>
<p>He is said to have also misused about RM40,000 in extra charges for NUBE badges.</p>
<p>The two Kedah NUBE members lodged reports at the Kota Star district police
station at 10.30am yesterday.</p>
<p>"This is the first of a series of reports we will lodge against the official".</p>
<p>"He has no right to have taken such actions. He was acting on his own
without seeking the approval of other members of the union," said the 45-year-old
complainant.</p>
<p>The police reports came amid a leadership tussle in the union, one of the largest
trade unions in the country with 34,000 members, following the sudden removal
of its president Abdul Jalil Abdul Hamid as the Penang branch chairman.</p>
<p>It was barely a year ago that the leaders had closed ranks following three
years of internal feuding.</p>
<p>The removal of Abdul Jalil is believed to be linked to differences of opinion
between him and his one-time ally, NUBE secretary-general J. Solomon.</p>
<p>It is learnt that the decision to remove Abdul Jalil was made by the Penang
branch, of which Solomon is also a member, during an emergency meeting on Wednesday
night. Abdul Jalil remains a branch committee member.</p>
<p>However, his removal has put his position as NUBE president in jeopardy.</p>
<p>Sources said Abdul Jalil had been unhappy that certain decisions at headquarters’
level were allegedly made without the endorsement of the union’s executive
council.</p>
<p>It is believed that there are now plans to refer Abdul Jalil to the union’s
executive council for disciplinary action for allegedly informing the members
of what had been happening.</p>
<p>When contacted, Abdul Jalil declined to comment.</p>
<p>Solomon, however, said he was informed of the decision to remove Abdul Jalil
but the NUBE headquarters had yet to receive an official report from the Penang
branch.</p>
<p>"I believe they have a valid reason for doing so. Since I have not received
the official report, it would be premature for me to say why (Abdul Jalil was
removed)," Solomon said.</p>
<p>"However, he is still the president."
Address: Wisma MTUC,10-5, Jalan USJ 9/5T, 47620 Subang Jaya,Selangor | Tel: 03-80242953 | Fax: 03-80243225 | Email: sgmtuc@gmail.com.com