PETALING JAYA | The nation’s largest employers’ group has joined the Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) in calling on the Dewan Negara to reject amendments to labour laws under the Industrial Relations Act 1967.
The Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) said the eight amendments, passed by the Dewan Rakyat last week, had not taken into consideration the views of the stakeholders.
MEF executive director Shamsuddin Bardan said Human Resources Minister M Kula Segaran, who had proposed the amendments, had failed to discuss them with MEF and MTUC, who are the permanent constituents of the National Labour Advisory Council (NLAC) with the ministry.
He said this went against Convention 144 of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), which called for tripartite consultations among the government, employers and workers’ groups.
Asking the senators to reject the amendments, he said the changes could affect the nation’s industrial harmony and economic stability.
“The minister had not only ignored the partners before tabling the proposed amendments, there was also no Regulation Impact Analysis (RIA) being conducted.
“MEF shares the view of MTUC and strongly urges the Dewan Negara to reject the amendments and return them to the NLAC for proper discussion,” she said.
Yesterday, MTUC president Abdul Halim Mansor said the congress had sent a memorandum on the matter to all 65 senators.
