Arrest of activist Khalid Ismath a form of intimidation, says PSM

Arrest of activist Khalid Ismath a form of intimidation, says PSM

Source: The Star Online

KUALA LUMPUR: Parti Sosialis Malaysia is urging authorities to not detain its former party youth chief, activist Khalid Ismath, and views his arrest as a form of intimidation.

PSM deputy chairman S. Arutchelvan (pic) said the party condemns Khalid’s arrest, saying it was against the Criminal Procedure Code.

“We are made to understand that he will be remanded on Saturday (Sept 14) but remanding someone before investigations are carried out goes against the Criminal Procedure Code,” he said in a statement.

Arutchelvan said Khalid, 29, was arrested around 10.30pm on Friday (Sept 13) at his home in Klang by three officers from the D5 unit in Bukit Aman under Section 4(1)(b) of the Sedition Act for allegedly posting a seditious tweet aimed at Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah.

It is learned that Khalid was picked up at his home as soon as he returned from dinner with his family and calmly followed police instructions.

He also requested not to be handcuffed as his four-year-old daughter was with him when he was taken.

Arutchelvan said Khalid’s arrest was a form of unnecessary intimidation.

“They could have asked him to go to the police station and he would have complied and cooperated willingly.

“Her Majesty had already expressed her stand about the tweet and has not linked anyone to it,” he said, adding that Khalid had earlier denied that he had posted anything against the Queen.

Dang Wangi OCPD Asst Comm Mohd Fahmi Visuvanathan Abdullah confirmed Khalid’s arrest.

Khalid’s arrest happened hours after the Queen posted on Instagram telling the public that she had left Twitter for personal reasons and there was no need to lodge any police reports.

Her posting was shared by her daughter Tengku Puteri Afzan Aminah Hafizatullah Al-Sultan Abdullah, who reposted it on her own Twitter account, @tengkuafzan1.

Many of the Queen’s followers had earlier believed that she had left Twitter because of cyberbullying.

Since she left Twitter, a Twitter user, whose tweets were screenshot and circulated on the Internet, has issued a public apology to Tunku Azizah for earlier remarks he made about her.

In a string of tweets, which have since been deleted, Twitter user Firdaus Asraf commented on the popularity of Tunku Azizah and the following that she has gained on social media.

He later posted a formal apology on his account, saying that he regrets his actions and he hopes that Tunku Azizah will accept his apology.

Cancelling pension scheme: Is government losing the plot?

Cancelling pension scheme: Is government losing the plot?

Source: The Leaders Online

The recent statements emanating from top civil servants, namely Datuk Seri Borhan Dolah the Director General of the Public Services Department and Datuk Seri Dr Ismail Hj Bakar, the Chief Secretary to the Government, indicate that the proposal to phase out the pension scheme for government servants is being seriously considered at the highest levels of government.

Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir weighed into the controversy on 7/9/2019 saying that the total pension bill of RM28 billion per year currently (amounting to about 10% of the federal budget) has become a burden to the country. But he did add that no decision has been taken as yet on the issue of pension.

The casualisation of labour is a global trend that has many negative consequences. It increases insecurity and leads to underemployment and poverty. It also makes people anxious about their own future and therefore more focused on securing themselves and reduces any inclination in helping others.

When applied within the civil service it will lead to a reduction in the civil servant’s commitment and pride in serving the nation and might shift their focus to please their superiors (so that their contracts are renewed) or start preparing for alternative carriers while still in government service.

Removal of pension scheme is part of the neoliberal agenda to trim and squeeze the state apparatus driving it to inefficiency, thus justifying further privatisation of essential services to the people .

The PSM is against any policies that will undermine social security and make the lives of our people more precarious. We are strongly against dismantling the government pension system. On the contrary, we believe that the way forward for Malaysia is to introduce a Universal Pensions System for our elderly.

It is high time Pakatan Harapan (PH) leaders reflect seriously – Why do we have government in the first place? What is your role as government leaders? Of course, maintaining law and order is an important function. So too is making sure that the economy functions smoothly such that goods and services are provided to the people and employment opportunities are generated.

But it appears to us that the PH government has become too focused on making Malaysia seem “business friendly” and on trimming the budget deficit so as to impress the International Credit Rating Agencies.

The PH Government seems to have forgotten that one of the most important responsibilities of government is to ensure that no one is left behind – that our society does not become too unequal and therefore unjust. Surely the PH recognises that in many instances the free market will not meet the basic needs of certain sectors – especially sectors that do not have much buying power.

In other words, the market mechanism may fail to provide adequately for the basic needs of the bottom 40% (B40) of society. Also, PH leaders should take cognizance of the fact that corporations augment their profits by keeping wages down. In these circumstances, a responsible government needs to intervene to ensure that the B40 are not pushed deeper into poverty by 1) legislating a decent minimum wage and 2) by building a robust safety net for all Malaysians. In both of these important matters the PH government is not meeting the mark!

The recent proposal from the Malaysian Trade Union Congress (Star online 1/9/2019) that the retirement age should be shifted from 60 to 65 years should be seen as a cry for help on the part of the working population. Official statistics reveal that 68% of Employment Provident Fund contributors aged 54 years have less than RM50,000 in their EPF accounts and most retirees use up this amount within a few years of retirement (Star Online 25/10/17).

Many Malaysians face old age without any savings and when over 70 years of age, are totally reliant on family members who might also be struggling to meet the needs of their own families. This is the backdrop to MTUC’s proposal.

This is why the PSM has long been advocating that Malaysia implements a pension scheme for all Malaysian citizens above 70 years of age who do not have government or social security (SOCSO) pension. Our suggestion is that we start at a pension of RM300 per month. As there are approximately 800,000 people in this age bracket who are not receiving any pension currently, the total bill will be RM 2.9 billion per year. This is about the same quantum as the BSH program, and is less than 1 % of the total federal budget. Although RM 300 is not enough for an elderly person to live on his or her own, it will be a big help to the family looking after him/her and certainly add to the dignity of his/her life.

Detractors will argue that our federal budget is already stretched and it would be imprudent to start a scheme that will become more expensive over time as the number of the above-70 group increases. We disagree. One of the principal responsibilities of government is to ensure that the wealth of our country is shared equitably. We already hold down wages in Malaysia so that we can compete for FDI and so that our exports can compete in the international market.

In other words, we keep asking our working people to accept low wages for the national good. This is the main reason why many of our retirees are not able to accumulate enough savings for their old age. Isn’t it only fair that we collect part of the wealth generated by the effort and sacrifice of our workers to strengthen the social net and provide a bit of help to them when they are above 70 years of age?

Are these detractors aware that government expenditure has dropped from 43.8% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 1983 to 21.6% in 2019. This decrease is due to several factors including, the race to the bottom in corporate tax rates among the ASEAN countries engendered by their desperation to attract foreign direct investment – our corporate tax rate was 40% of corporate profits in the 1980s. It is now 24% of profits and falling!

Another factor is the financial liberalisation brought about by WTO rules and the Free Trade Agreements ne have signed on to. These rules enable large corporations to siphon out their handsome profits to tax havens through Transfer Pricing – thus avoiding paying taxes in Malaysia. Low corporate tax rates and tax avoidance are not ordained by the almighty! They are the result of the overwhelming power of the richest corporations in formulating trade and financial rules. They are man-made and can be, by men unmade! This decrease in government revenue is a major reason why the PH government is now talking of phasing out the pension scheme for government employees.

PSM believes that it is the duty of government to address the issues of tax avoidance and the race-to-the bottom among ASEAN countries. Then the government will have the funds to expand social expenditure on pension, improving health care, increasing the budget of the welfare department, improving public transport, financing greener sources of energy, etc.

Of course, this will require a multi-national effort and cannot be accomplished overnight. But has the PH government embarked on this course of action? Has it even contemplated it?

Currently PH’s knee-jerk response to any proposal to increase social expenditure is to say “Sorry, no funds. Our deficit is already too big”. This knee-jerk response is simply not acceptable. The government must apply itself to the task of retaining a larger share of the wealth that Malaysia is contributing to the global economy and use this fund to make Malaysia a more equitable society.

This is the responsibility of government. Please fulfill it!

Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj is the PSM national chairperson

 

Program sarapan percuma boleh ditambahbaikkan lagi

Program sarapan percuma boleh ditambahbaikkan lagi

oleh S. Arutchelvan

Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) menyambut baik dan positif terhadap cadangan Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia (KPM) untuk melancarkan program sarapan percuma khas bagi murid-murid di sekolah rendah di seluruh negara mulai tahun 2020. Menurut KPM, melalui program ini nanti, murid-murid akan disediakan sarapan enak berpandukan menu yang sihat dan ia adalah percuma.

PSM merasakan ini adalah satu tindakan kerajaan Pakatan Harapan yang cukup baik. Selain daripada memberikan makanan percuma, KPM juga boleh mengambil beberapa langkah untuk memberikan nilai tambahan kepada program ini di kalangan kanak-kanak sekolah rendah. Antara syor kami adalah:

  1. Kanak-kanak harus dididik mengenai kepentingan makanan dan budaya tidak membazir makanan. Pengetahuan seperti masalah kebuluran dan jaminan makanan boleh menjadi ajaran sampingan.
  2. Menjamu makanan pelbagai bangsa di Malaysia untuk mempromosi makanan daripada kumpulan etnik berlainan, supaya menjalin rasa perpaduan melalui amalan makanan ini dijadikan keutamaan semasa membuat pilihan makanan.
  3. Kanak-kanak juga harus diajar untuk membawa bekas makanan sendiri untuk menghindari penggunaan bahan yang mencemar alam seperti plastik sekali guna, dan mempromosi pendidikan menjaga alam sekitar.
  4. Kanak-kanak juga harus diajar tentang kelebihan memakan makanan berkhasiat dan mengetahui nilai makanan seimbang untuk kesihatan.

==========

S. Arutchelvan ialah Timbalan Pengerusi Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM).

It takes a cleaner 6 years to earn a CEO’s daily wage

It takes a cleaner 6 years to earn a CEO’s daily wage

Source: Malaysiakini

In recent weeks, we have been occupied with the question of whether the UN Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights Philip Alston’s claim is correct or false.

Alston concluded that Malaysia’s absolute poverty rate cannot be 0.4 percent but was closer to 15 percent. Economic Affairs Minister Azmin Ali immediately dismissed the report as unacceptable and irresponsible, while Prime Minister Dr Mahathir said the government will study the claim and may review the figures.

Nevertheless, Mahathir also ridiculed the report by saying, “It is not as bad as what is pointed out by the people who come here for one day, stay in a big hotel and then pass judgement”.

Let me talk about my interaction with around 70 cleaners who attended a retreat in Camp Perasaan near Taiping last weekend. This was not a venue of a 5-star hotel but a low budget resort.

I was one of the resource persons and the group who attended were all hospital cleaners who work in government hospitals. These are the same people who work and keep our overcrowded government hospitals clean.

When I asked them what were their salaries, they said that they were paid RM1,100. When I asked the most senior person in the group who has worked for 30 years, the shocking answer was that his salary was also RM1,100.

They received the minimum wage irrespective of their years in service. They were employed through a contractor employed by the government.

Parti Sosialis Malaysia has always taken a position opposing contract work for permanent workers. This is an abuse of the system and a manipulation. It goes against the norms of job security enshrined in our constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Then, I compared their salaries with top salaries or income earned by CEOs in Malaysia in the year 2017. When I shared these figures, they were shocked.

Obscene Salaries of CEOs

These figures were taken from publicly published reports and FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI index list (accurate as of May 31, 2018). The report looked at the very top companies.

To put the record straight, these are 2017 income figures and are not data on the top ten richest persons, which would definitely be much higher. One can oneself search for this on Google.

Just for those who think that these are pre-14th general election wages: Let me also state that the earnings of top earners in 2018 are higher than in 2017. I cite the 2017 salaries as a comparison because the report does mention salaries and bonuses paid, unlike the 2018 report.

Now we take Sime Darby Plantation – a government-linked company – CEO Mohd Bakke Salleh’s salary for 2017. His total salary and remunerations was RM7.8 million in 2017. That would work out to RM 652,416 a month. Now would someone dare to compare this with the earnings of a plantation worker under Sime Darby?

Now let’s take another GLC, Petronas. Petronas Chemicals Group CEO Sazali Hamzah was paid RM1,013,352 for his services to the company for the year 2017. That would work out to a monthly income of RM84,446.

Now let’s see what two other GLCs pay their CEOs. In 2017, Malayan Banking Berhad paid its CEO Abdul Farid Alias a salary of RM2,400,000, and the bonuses alone amounted to RM4,300,000.

Now, the report says his total earnings was RM8.7 million, and if I break this down to monthly income, it works out to RM727,916 a month. If I further break it down to a daily wage, it would be around RM24,000.

What about the CEO of Tenaga Nasional who has proposed a bill hike? This is yet another GLC, and its CEO Azman Mohd’s total salary and bonuses for 2017 were RM3,494,120 and RM3,000,000, respectively.

With other benefits added, his total annual income was reported as RM7,247,219. That works out to a total monthly income of RM603,935 and an estimated daily earning of RM20,131.

Daylight robbery?

Now let’s look at the top earner of 2017, Public Bank CEO Tay Ah Lek. He earned RM27 million in 2017. The current top earner for 2018 is RM80.6 million from Genting Berhad.

The Public Bank CEO’s salary was RM11,079,000 and he got a bonus of almost RM16 million (RM15,974,000). His total income for 2017 was RM27.8 million.

That means if we break down the total income, it will work out to RM2.3 million monthly and RM77,000 daily. If we break this down to 24 hours even though no one works 24 hours, his salary would be around RM3,200 an hour. That is almost three times our minimum wage.

Now let’s compare the top CEO’s one-day income with the monthly income of our cleaners at the government hospitals. It will take our cleaners almost 6 years to get the CEO’s one day salary, and it will take them around 174 years to get his one-month salary.

Isn’t this obscene? Every time when we want to raise the minimum wage, there is massive opposition as if these poor workers are going wreak havoc on the economy.

Most of the top multimillion ringgit earners in Malaysia are GLCs. If this is not daylight robbery, what do we call it?

Looking at these figures, one wonders whether it is actually necessary to debate on our poverty rate. We talk about racial divisions yet the rich-poor gap remains unbridgeable.

May the workers get real freedom from poverty and low wages. Happy Merdeka!


S ARUTCHELVAN is the deputy chairperson of PSM.

Rich Malaysian … Poor Malaysian – The Merdeka gap

Rich Malaysian … Poor Malaysian – The Merdeka gap

by S.Arutchelvan

In recent weeks, we have been occupied with the question of whether the UN Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights, Philip Alston’s claim is correct or false. Alston concluded that Malaysia’s absolute poverty rate cannot be 0.4 percent but was closer to 15 percent. Economic Affairs Minister Azmin Ali immediately dismissed the report as unacceptable and irresponsible while Prime Minister Dr Mahathir said the government will study the claim and may review the figures. Nevertheless Mahathir also ridiculed the report by saying, “It is not as bad as what is pointed out by the people who come here for one day, stay in a big hotel and then pass judgement”.

Let me talk about my interaction with around 70 cleaners who attended a retreat in Camp Perasaan near Taiping last weekend. This was not a venue of a 5 star hotel but a low budget resort. I was one of the resource persons and the group who attended were all hospital cleaners who work in Government Hospitals. These are the same people who work and keep our overcrowded Government Hospitals clean. When I asked them what are their salaries, they said that they are paid RM 1,100. When I asked the most senior person in the group who has worked for 30 years, the shocking answer was that his salary was also RM1100.

They receive the minimum wage irrespective of their years in service. They are employed through a Contractor employed by the Government. PSM has always taken a position in opposing contract work for permanent workers. This is an abuse of the system and a manipulation. It goes against the norms of job security enshrined in our constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Then I made a comparison to their salaries and top salaries or income earned by CEOs in Malaysia in the year 2017. When I shared these figures, they were shocked.

Obscene Salaries of CEOs

These figures were taken from publicly published reports and FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI index list (accurate as of May 31, 2018). The report looked at the very top companies. To put the record straight, these are 2017 income figures and not the top ten richest persons data which would be definitely be much higher. One can oneself search this on google.

Just for those who think that these are pre GE14 wages. Let me also state that the earnings of top earners in 2018 are higher than 2017. I take the 2017 salaries as comparison because the report does mention salaries and bonuses paid unlike the 2018 report.

Now we take Sime Darby Plantation – a GLC – CEO Dato’ Mohd Bakke Salleh’s salary for 2017. His total salary and remunerations was RM7.8 million in 2017. That would work out to RM 652,416 a month. Now can someone dare to compare this with the earning of a plantation worker under Sime Darby?

Now let’s take another Government linked company(GLC), Petronas. Petronas Chemicals Group CEO Datuk Sazali Hamzah was paid RM1,013,352 for his services to the company for the year 2017. That would work out to a monthly income of RM 84,446.

Now let’s see what two other GLCs pay their CEOs. In 2017, Malayan Banking Berhad paid its CEO Datuk Abdul Farid Alias a salary of RM2,400,000 and bonuses alone amounting to RM4,300,000. Now the report says his total earning was RM8.7million and if I break this down to monthly income, it works out to RM727,916 a month and if I further break down to a daily wage it would be around RM 24k.

What about the CEO of Tenaga Nasional who has proposed a bill hike?. This is yet another GLC where the CEO Datuk Seri Ir. Azman bin Mohd total salary and bonuses for 2017 were RM3,494,120 and RM3,000,000 respectively. With other benefits added, his total annual income was reported as RM7,247,219. Now that works out to a total monhly income of RM 603,935 and an estimated daily earning of RM 20,131.

Now let’s look at the top earner of 2017, Public Bank CEO Tan Sri Dato’ Tay Ah Lek. He earned RM27 million in 2017. The current top earning for 2018 is RM 80.6 million from Genting Berhad. The Public Bank CEO’s salary was RM11,079,000 and he got a bonus of almost RM16 million (RM15,974,000). His total income for 2017 was put at 27.8 million. That means if we break down the total income, it will work out to 2.3 million monthly and RM77k daily. If we break this down to 24 hours though no one works 24 hours, his salary would be around RM 3,200 an hour. That is almost three times our minimum wage.

Now let’s compare the top CEO’s one day income with the monthly income of our cleaners at the Government hospitals. It will take our cleaners almost 6 years to get the CEO’s one day salary and it will them around 174 years to get his one month salary .

Isn’t this obscene? Every time when we want to raise the minimum wage, there is massive opposition as if these poor workers are going wreak havoc on the economy. Most of the top multimillion ringgit earners in Malaysia are GLC companies. If this is not daylight robbery, what do we call it?

Looking at these figures, one wonders whether it is actually necessary to debate on our poverty rate. We talk about racial divisions yet the rich-poor gap remains unbridgeable.

May the workers get real freedom from poverty and low wages. Happy Merdeka!

S.Arutchelvan
PSM Deputy Chairperson
30-8-2019

Tibanya masa laksana pembaharuan undang-undang yang jamin hak berkesatuan untuk pekerja – PSM sambut baik cadangan pindaan terhadap Akta Kesatuan Sekerja 1959 dan Akta Perhubungan Perusahaan 1967

Tibanya masa laksana pembaharuan undang-undang yang jamin hak berkesatuan untuk pekerja – PSM sambut baik cadangan pindaan terhadap Akta Kesatuan Sekerja 1959 dan Akta Perhubungan Perusahaan 1967

oleh M. Sivaranjani

Pada 22 Ogos 2019, satu sesi taklimat telah dianjurkan oleh Jabatan Hal Ehwal Kesatuan Sekerja dan Jabatan Perhubungan Perusahaan (JPP) Selangor untuk membentangkan cadangan pindaan terhadap Akta Kesatuan Sekerja 1959 dan Akta Perhubungan Perusahaan 1967.

Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) menyambut baik cadangan pindaan tersebut kerana pindaan-pindaan ini akan membantu pekerja dalam menubuhkan kesatuan sekerja di tempat kerja mereka dan menghalang pemangsaan ahli-ahli kesatuan. Pada masa sekarang, dengan hanya 6% pekerja menganggotai kesatuan, warga pekerja mempunyai kuasa tawar-menawar yang sangat rendah, dan ini menyebabkan mereka kekal dengan gaJi yang rendah, faedah pekerjaan yang minimum dan terus kehilangan hak-hak asas seorang pekerja.

Dalam situasi sekarang, kebanyakan pekerja, terutamanya dalam sektor perkhidmatan dan informal, sukar diorganisasikan untuk membentuk kesatuan kerana terma kerja, kontrak tempoh tetap, bilangan pekerja yang kecil, lokasi kerja , penyumberan luar (outsourcing) kerja dan sebagainya . Dengan pindaan ini, sesebuah kesatuan kerja umum boleh ditubuhkan untuk mewakili pekerja dari pelbagai sektor dan tred (pekerjaan). Apabila mereka diwakili oleh kesatuan, maka kejadian eksploitasi oleh majikan dapat dicabar dan hak mereka akan terpelihara.

Pindaan yang dicadangkan dalam Akta Kesatuan Sekerja 1959, iaitu mengurangkan kuasa Menteri dan Ketua Pengarah Kesatuan Sekerja (KPKS) dalam isu-isu penubuhan kesatuan dan penolakan pendaftaran kesatuan, akan menggalakkan lebih ramai pekerja datang ke hadapan untuk menubuhkan kesatuan. Birokrasi Jabatan Hal Ehwal Kesatuan Sekerja atau kuasa budi bicara KPKS dan Menteri dicadangkan untuk dimansuhkan.

Pindaan juga dilakukan supaya lebih dari satu kesatuan boleh ditubuhkan di suatu tempat pekerjaan. Maka, cadangan pindaan untuk membenarkan penubuhan lebih daripada satu kesatuan akan menggalakkan pekerja menolak kesatuan yang tidak berjuang untuk mereka dan menubuhkan kesatuan yang baru. Dalam suasana persaingan yang sihat ini, kesatuan yang betul-betul berjuang untuk kepentingan pekerja akan mendapat sokongan. Selaras dengan standard Pertubuhan Buruh Antarabangsa (ILO), pihak Kementerian Sumber Manusia membawa pindaan-pindaan tersebut selaras dengan prinsip hak kebebasan untuk menganjurkan dan menyertai kesatuan.

Cadangan pindaan dalam Akta Kesatuan Sekerja 1959 yang lain adalah seperti berikut:

  • Syarat untuk melancarkan mogok dan tutup pintu (lock down) dilonggarkan dan hukuman untuk pelanggarannya dipinda. Dalam Akta Kesatuan Sekerja sekarang, jika didapati tidak mengikut syarat, maka pekerja boleh dihukum penjara dan perkara ini memang menghalang pekerja untuk mengorganisasi mogok atau tutup pintu apabila majikan bertindak tidak adil di tempat kerja. Dalam cadangan pindaan terbaru, hukuman penjara dimansuhkan. Hanya denda akan dikenakan.
  • Keanggotaan kesatuan sekerja diperluaskan kepada mereka yang telah bersara, digantung kerja dan berhentikan kerja. Ini akan membolehkan ahli kesatuan bergiat aktif dalam aktiviti sehingga mereka dapat keadilan daripada pemangsaan majikan.
  • Pekerja yang menganggotai mana-mana parti politik dibenarkan untuk menjadi pegawai kesatuan sekerja. Cadangan ini baik untuk menghindari diskriminasi pekerja yang merupakan ahli parti politik daripada menjadi pegawai kesatuan sepertimana wujud sekarang.
  • Kesatuan sekerja dibenarkan untuk bergabung dengan mana-mana kesatuan sekerja lain tanpa tertakluk pada sekatan keserupaan (similarity).
  • Kesatuan sekerja dibenarkan memindahkan perjanjian-perjanjian (transfer of engagements) kepada mana-mana kesatuan lain tanpa tertakluk pada sekatan keserupaan.
  • Syarat pindaan peraturan yang melibatkan kenaikan yuran bulanan dan mengurangkan faedah anggota kesatuan dilonggarkan kepada lebih daripada separuh undi yang dipulangkan bersetuju terhadap pindaan.
  • Penubuhan persekutuan kesatuan sekerja tidak lagi tertakluk kepada prinsip keserupaan tred, pekerjaan atau industri.

Seterusnya, beberapa cadangan pindaan untuk Akta Perhububungan Perusahaan 1967 juga dibentang. Salah satunya adalah mewujudkan Mahkamah Rayuan Pekerjaan (EAC). Apabila pekerja kalah di Mahkamah Perusahaan, keputusan tersebut boleh dicabar di Mahkamah Rayuan Pekerjaan. Sekarang, pekerja harus melalui proses Mahkamah Sivil yang memakan kos yang tinggi. Bagi membantu pekerja dalam hal berkaitan kos dan mempercepatkan penyelesaian, Mahkamah Rayuan Pekerjaan dicadangkan. PSM berpendapat ini adalah satu langkah yang akan memanfaatkan pekerja yang sentiasa dimangsakan dan kebanyakan masa mereka berputus asa kerana tidak dapat menampung kos atau sanggup mengharungi tempoh masa yang lama sehingga kes selesai.

Cadangan pindaan seterusnya adalah mewujudkan satu peruntukan baru di bawah Seksyen 12A, iaitu “preference ballot” (undi pilihan). Dalam keadaan wujud lebih daripada satu kesatuan sekerja di suatu tempat pekerjaan, hanya satu kesatuan sekerja dibenarkan membuat perjanjian bersama (CA) dengan majikan. Bagi memilih satu kesatuan yang layak untuk membuat CA, sistem “preference ballot” akan digunakan. Ini bermaksud kesatuan yang mendapat sokongan undi tertinggi akan berhak mewakili pekerja dalam perundingan kolektif.

Selain itu, terdapat cadangan pindaan terdapat Akta Perhubungan Perusahaan 1967 dalam Seksyen 13(3), di mana kesatuan sekerja dibenarkan untuk berbincang dengan majikan semasa perundingan kolektif secara umum tentang hal kenaikan pangkat, pertukaran, pengambilan pekerja, penamatan perkhidmatan akibat lebihan tenaga kerja, pembuangan kerja dan pemulihan kerja serta agihan tugas. Kesatuan sekerja sekarang ini tiada hak untuk merundingkan hal-hal ini yang sebelum ini dianggap sebagai budi bicara dan kuasa mutlak majikan.

Berikut adalah pindaan-pindaan lain yang dicadangkan di bawah Akta Perhubungan Perusahaan 1967:

  1. Kuasa budi bicara Menteri untuk merujuk atau tidak merujuk sesuatu kes pembuangan akan dipindahkan kepada Ketua Pengarah Perhubungan Perusahaan (KPPP). Kuasa Menteri untuk memutuskan isu pengiktirafan kesatuan sekerja akan dipindahkan kepada KPPP.
  1. Kes pertikaian perusahaan mengenai keengganan majikan memulakan perjanjian kolektif hanya boleh dirujuk ke Mahkamah Perusahaan atas persetujuan bersama pihak yang terlibat kecuali dalam 4 keadaan, iaitu:
  • Kes yang melibatkan perjanjian kolektif yang pertama;
  • Kes yang melibatkan perkhidmatan perlu (Jaduan Pertama);
  • Kes yang menyebabkan “acute crisis” jika tidak diselesaikan segera;
  • Pihak yang terlibat tidak bertindak secara “good faith” dalam menyelesaikan pertikaian yang perlu.
  1. Memberi kuasa kepada Mahkamah Perusahaan
  • Untuk mendengar dan memutuskan tarikh pembuangan kerja sebenar sekiranya tarikh pembuangan kerja yang dirujuk oleh KPPP kepada Mahkamah dipertikaikan oleh pihak yang terlibat di bawah Seksyen 29.
  • Mengenakan faedah ke atas award yang melibatkan kewangan (maksimum 8% setahun) – Seksyen 30 (1A)
  • Mahkamah Perusahaan tidak terikat kepada Jadual Kedua sekiranya sesuatu kes pembuangan kerja melibatkan perlanggaran terhadap Seksyen 4, 5 atau 7 – Seksyen 30 (6A)
  • Memansuhkan peruntukan di bawah subseksyen 30(7) bagi memberi kuasa budi bicara kepada Mahkamah Perusahaan untuk menetapkan tarikh ke belakang sesuatu award tanpa terikat lagi kepada tempoh maksimum 6 bulan – Seksyen 30(7).
  1. Membenarkan pekerja-pekerja Badan Berkanun Persekutuan (BBP) mengemukakan representasi pemulihan kerja di bawah Seksyen 20. Cadangan pindaan ini akan membenarkan pekerja-pekerja dalam 7 buah agensi Badan Berkanun Persekutuan berikut untuk mengemukakan tuntutan di bawah Seksyen 20:
  • Lembaga Kumpulan Wang Simpanan Pekerja
  • Lembaga Hasil Dalam Negeri
  • Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera
  • Lembaga Tabung Haji
  • Pertubuhan Keselamatan Sosial
  • Bank Simpanan Nasional
  • Perbadanan Hal Ehwal Bekas Angkatan Tentera (PERHEBAT)
  1. Waris terdekat boleh menikmati bayaran pampasan yang diputuskan oleh Mahkamah Perusahaan. Memberi kuasa kepada Mahkamah untuk memerintahkan gaji ke belakang atau pampasan sebagai ganti kepada pemulihan kerja dibayar kepada waris terdekat apabila pekerja meninggal dunia – Seksyen 30(6B).

Secara keseluruhannya, PSM mengucapkan tahniah kepada pihak Kementerian Sumber Manusia yang berani membawa cadangan pindaan undang-undang ini yang akan membuka ruang kepada lebih ramai pekerja menubuhkan kesatuan dan secara bersama mereka boleh bersuara dengan berani apabila berlaku penindasan di tempat kerja. Kami amat berharap pindaan-pindaan ini akan dibawa ke Parlimen secepat mungkin dan dilaksanakan secepat mungkin.

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M. Sivaranjani ialah Ahli Jawatankuasa Pusat Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) merangkap Penyelaras Biro Pekerja PSM.

New housing scheme only fattens developers, not helping buyers

New housing scheme only fattens developers, not helping buyers

Source: The Leaders Online

PUCHONG: Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) today slammed Bank Negara for not addressing the fundamental issue revolving around the lack of home ownership among Malaysians.

In a statement today, PSM secretary general A Sivarajan said that the main reason why many could not own a house was due to low wages and exorbitant prices of homes.

“The government data itself recommends that if a family earns RM3,000 a month, they can only afford to buy a house three times their pay, or about RM108,000.

“But instead of addressing the issue of low wages and skyrocketing house prices, Bank Negara is only easing loan application for the people. This will not solve the problem. It will only fatten developers’ bank accounts,” he said.

Recently, Bank Negara expanded the eligibility criteria for those seeking to purchase property under the RM1 billion Fund for Affordable Homes.

Effective Sept 1, individuals planning to apply for financing to purchase affordable houses would be eligible to do so if they have a maximum monthly household income of RM4,360, up 86% from the earlier threshold income level of RM2,300 per month.

Plus, the maximum property price will be increased to RM300,000 from RM150,000. These new terms would help buyers from this income group to obtain financing to purchase their first house.

Hurling brickbats on the new initiative, Sivarajan said that the new move would put house buyers in further debt, especially those under the B40 group.

He also said the new initiative would only help the middle class, who can afford to purchase a house worth RM300,000.

“The RM 1 billion allocation will not help the lower income people, who only earn a paltry sum between RM1,100 and RM2,000,” he said.

Sivarajan also accused the government of only helping the developers,  in order to help the latter sell their homes at exorbitant price.

“Bank Negara itself had said that 68% of the houses built remain unsold due to mismatch between supply and demand as developers continue to sell them at exorbitant prices.

“This new move will only embolden developers, as it will not provide any incentive for them to reduce their prices.

“As a result, developers will continue building homes which are out of reach for Malaysians, especially among the B40 group,” he said.

As a solution, the PSM leader urged Bank Negara to focus on building homes worth RM100,000 and below; and get government linked companies such as Khazanah Nasional Berhad to embark on such projects.

“And stop helping private developers who only think about making money and failed to commit themselves in providing affordable homes for Malaysians.

‘The government should not lose their focus; which is to help working class Malaysians to own quality homes at affordable price,” said Sivarajan.

By G Vinod

The Meaning of Empowerment

The Meaning of Empowerment

By Arveent Kathirtchelvan

I had the express pleasure of working with the Allied Aeronautics Training Centre Students’ Union (AATCSU) from when it was only a concept in the minds of a few proactive, socially conscious students, until it was established properly and, now, it has grown to win in its struggle through negotiations between student leaders, the Ministry of Human Resources and the AATC management. This was my first experience in handling a social case with the Parti Sosialis Malaysia and I am grateful that I could learn the process from the capable hands of comrade Sharan Raj, a central committee member of the party.

Reflecting on the past few months, there are a few points that stand out to me with regards to how the party helps those in need and, more interestingly, how they help themselves. As socialists, the prevailing thought at the forefront of our consciousness is the empowerment of groups who are suppressed. However, those new to the process, as I am, are sometimes not really clear on what empowerment means. Seeing it unfold in front of my eyes taught me how it is supposed to look, and the mentality necessary for those trying to help these groups.

The AATCSU Experience

In the beginning of PSM’s involvement with what will eventually become the AATCSU, several AATC students approached PSM seeking assistance. The main issue was that the college management promised to arrange for PTPK loans to pay for the students’ fees. The students, most of whom are from a lower income bracket, relied on this guarantee to enrol as the interest rate and the payback instalment amount are low for these loans. Years on and 6 batches of student intakes later, the whole cohort had studied without paying a single sen, but the loans weren’t coming. The college management then asked for students to apply for Affin Bank Personal Loans with a near 8% interest rate. This was an unacceptable arrangement for the students and they began to look for a way out of it.

We saw that the students were interested in a holistic solution. There was no division based on race or religion, nor did the students look out only for their individual benefit. They considered themselves to be a united front, each equal to the other, and were willing to fight for what was promised to them. A preliminary organization structure was laid out, with the initial small group of students spreading out to talk to their classmates, batch by batch. Week by week, the number of students committed to organization grew. After a while, the leadership structure of the growing union solidified, from chairperson to secretary to committee members assigned to their respective batches.

Soon, the time came to call a town hall discussion. The first attempt was a failure. The number of students who came were not more than half of the entire cohort. For those who did, Sharan led a post-mortem that identified challenges in reaching out to the other students and how much work really needs to be done in explaining to them what the union represented. The students were resolved to go back to square one. More organizing and more ground work were undertaken. The committee more seriously focused on getting the attendance numbers up. A date was fixed for the next town hall.

When it came, as I pulled-up to the venue, the crowd was burgeoning. Already, the total number of students seemed to easily double that of the first town hall. There was a desk prepared with registers listing those who had agreed to attend, being ticked-off one-by-one as they came in. When the meeting started, the target of getting more than half of the entire AATC student body to attend was easily achieved. This group seemed clear on their intentions. They were there to stand as one to solve their problems together. The preliminary committee was pulled up in front of the attendees and were voted on. Some of the committee was replaced, new positions were added and the composition of the committee, in terms of race and gender, was made diverse.

Following this success, a letter was drafted to the management detailing the students’ demands. Amongst these were the preparation of the PTPK loans and discontinuation of the lack of engagement with students before decision-making on the part of the management. A meeting was requested by the student union with the management to begin negotiations on these matters. When the letter was hand-delivered, the management received it and asked for a few days to go through it before responding.

The following Monday, both the chairperson and secretary of the union were dismissed from AATC. The rest of the union were informed of this that morning. Afternoon came and over 90 students went to the ground to protest this decision. They occupied their training centre and demanded for their fellow students to be reinstated. The unity shown by the union members was shocking and refreshing. Weeks of talking about each other as part of the same class struggle was realized in an instant when the might of the management was exerted. It was awe-inspiring.

More so when some of them were taken to the Kelana Jaya Police Station, the rest of the students gathered in front and waited for hours until they were released. Students of all races coming together with the sole intention of getting their own released. Even when there were certain outside forces trying to inject a racial perspective into them at that time, the students stayed firm. Close to 10 pm, the detained students, alongside Sharan, were released. The students rejoiced.

Members of the AATC Student Union meeting with Human Resources Minister, M. Kulasegaran

Two days later, a meeting was arranged between the students, AATC management and the Ministry of Human Resources. Minister M. Kulasegaran acted in favour of the students and assisted them to achieve a mutually beneficial outcome. The students asked for the reinstatement of their dismissed chairperson and secretary, the arrangement of PTPK loans for them and the re-enrollment of fellow students who had earlier left AATC due to the lack of a good financing option. All three demands were agreed to. The student union had won.

An Analysis

So, to review, how do we analyse the experience of this union? Oftentimes, we judge society to be filled with racially-biased individuals who can never be united. However, this togetherness is clear in the AATC Students’ Union which is multiracial but moves as one. We need to understand that the type of organization is key. What I mean by this is, they union was organized around a class struggle. There was an oppressive class in the management and an oppressed class in the students. This was understood clearly. Race was nowhere near the foundations of this union.

There is also the perception that students and other suppressed social classes, like lorry drivers and plantation workers, are not capable of organizing themselves. Our experience with the AATCSU proves this wrong. Most of the work was done by the students themselves, from explaining their stance to other students, ensuring the racial divide does not set in until getting students to come to the ground to openly protest.

This was no radicalization. This was realization of the innate talents of the students themselves. They were determined and worked hard to prepare themselves to solve their own problems. This is empowerment. You don’t have to give hand-outs, just a conducive environment for affected individuals to organize and find amicable solutions to their issues. This approach is clear in PSM’s other work as well. From unfairly retrenched workers to plantation workers being evicted from their houses, PSM’s approach in class-based organization isn’t only effective but is sustainable as there is true ownership of those being organized themselves in the process.

As we near Merdeka, many quarters throughout the nation are calling it the least joyful of all. Political parties and NGOs instigate racial sentiments, the people are beginning to tire of the deep cracks within our society. Yet, in AATCSU, we can see hope burning brightly. Their model uplifted their community effectively, their unity forged far from the deep clutches of racial sentiments. Proof, again, that through a class-based approach, not only can we stand against oppressors and achieve what we seek but we can do it as a united front with no division between us. AATCSU has taught all of us a lesson in these trying times. Will we care to listen? Happy Merdeka, Malaysia.

Arveent Kathirtchelvan is a committee member of Parti Sosialis Malaysia, Youth Wing

Peparu dunia sedang dibakar

Peparu dunia sedang dibakar

Hutan Amazon, hutan hujan tropika terbesar di dunia yang meliputi meliputi kawasan yang meluas di negara Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Guyana dan Suriname, sedang dilanda kebakaran yang serius, khususnya di kawasan hutan yang terletak di dalam negara Brazil. Kebakaran Huutan Amazon di Brazil, bukan sahaja memberi impak kepada alam sekitar di benua Amerika Latin, tetapi juga sedang mengancam bumi kita yang sudah pun menghadapi krisis iklim yang membimbangkan.

Pada ketika ini, beribu kebakaran sedang terjadi di kawasan Hutan Amazon, dengan negeri-negeri di bahagian utara Brazil seperti Roraima, Acre, Rondônia dan Amazonas, mengalami kesan yang paling teruk akibat daripada kebakaran-kebakaran ini.

Menurut angka rasmi, lebih 75,000 kebakaran hutan telah direkodkan di Brazil untuk 8 bulan pertama tahun ini, satu angka yang paling tinggi sejak tahun 2013, dan jauh tinggi berbanding 40,000 kebakaran dalam tempoh yang sama pada tahun 2018. Kebakaran hutan di kawasan Amazon adalah sesuatu yang biasa ketika musim kemarau dari bulan Julai hingga Oktober setiap tahun. Kebakaran ini boleh berpunca daripada alam semulajadi seperti sambaran kilat, tetapi juga boleh disebabkan oleh aktiviti pembalakan dan pembukaan tanah untuk pertanian. Presiden Brazil Jair Bolsonaro yang mengambilalih kuasa sejak 1 Januari 2019 telah memainkan peranan aktif dalam menggalakkan aktiviti penebangan pokok di kawasan Amazon.

Kebakaran hebat di Hutan Amazon, bukan sahaja sedang memusnahkan khazanah alam yang begitu kaya di Bumi kita, tetapi juga sedang melepaskan karbon yang begitu banyak ke dalam atmosfera Bumi kita dan “menyumbang” kepada krisis iklim yang semakin teruk.

Bolonaro, seorang ahli politik pelampau kanan yang mempermainkan sentimen perkauman dan politik kebencian untuk berkuasa, telah melaksanakan dasar yang mengancam alam sekitar dan kehidupan masyarakat orang asal di Brazil. Kerajaan pimpinan Bolsorano telah menarik balik langkah-langkah penguatkuasaan terhadap pembukaan hutan secara haram di kawasan hutan terlindung.

Malah, ketika berkempen untuk Pilihanraya Presiden pada tahun lepas lagi, Bolsonaro telah mengatakan bahawa tanah hutan perlindungan yang luas merupakan halangan kepada pertumbuhan ekonomi dan berjanji untuk membukannya bagi eksploitasi komersial.

Dasar yang dibawa oleh Bolsonaro adalah menukar tanah awam yang sepatutnya untuk kepentingan semua orang kepada tanah swasta yang menguntungkan segelintir kecil kapitalis. Kebanyakan tanah awam di Brazil terletak di Hutan Amazon, termasuk tanah awam di mana masyarakat orang asal berhak untuk menggunakaannya dan tanah kegunaan kolektif oleh quilombola (orang keturunan hamba dari Afrika yang berjaya memenangkan hak tanah mereka). Kerajaan Bolsonaro sedang meningkatkan usaha untuk membuka tanah yang diduduki oleh masyarakat orang asli dan kawasan perlindungan hutan, untuk menjadikan tanah yang luas ini sebagai ladang penternakan, ladang tanaman soya dan lombong mineral. Bolsonaro langsung tidak mempedulikan alam sekitar dan masyarakat akar umbi, kerana hasratnya adalah mempertahankan kepentingan golongan kapitalis Brazil dengan apa jua cara, termasuk menghancurkan paru-paru hijau yang terbesar di dunia.

Kebakaran yang sedang memusnahkan hutan di Brazil sekarang ini, bukannya sesuatu yang semula jadi, tetapi adalah produk dasar kerajaan Brazil yang mengetepikan alam sekitar. Amat ternyata sekali, Bolsonaro bukan sahaja ancaman kepada rakyat Brazil, tetapi ancaman hebat kepada Bumi kita!

20190823 - amazonia