MTUC to PKNS: This isn't Kunta Kinte country
Malaysiakini – 1 hour 2 minutes ago
The decision to terminate contract workers with 24-hour notice has been likened to the cruelty of the slave trade as portrayed in the epic novel 'Roots'.
Commenting on the move by PKNS Holdings, Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) deputy president Abdullah Sani Abdul ( right ) called it a "cruel act".
"This is not Kunta Kinte (a reference to the central character in the novel) country. There are laws which must be considered before doing something," he said at the Human Resources Ministry today.
Abdullah Sani said PKNS Holdings, a subsidiary of the Selangor Development Corporation, has violated the Employees Act since it provided no justification for terminating the contracts.
"I understand that there is a contractual agreement under Section 10 (of the Employees Act) which must be adhered to. PKNS has violated Section 12 of the Act (with regard to contracts).
He further trained his guns on Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, stating as head administrator of PKNS, the latter must take responsibility over the surprise termination.
Abdullah Sani, who is also PKR Workers' Bureau chairperson, said the termination reflected Abdul Khalid's lack of respect for workers's rights, as they were not even given time to find employment elsewhere.
"It is a form of betrayal that is disgusting and unacceptable.
"This is why Khalid ( right in photo ) should be replaced," he said. He was referring to recent political developments in Selangor which sees Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim contesting the recently-vacated Kajang state seat in a move many believe is to enable him to take over as MB.
Abdul Khalid had yesterday denied his involvement in the sacking and that the decision was made solely by PKNS Holdings' management.
Yesterday, PKNS Holdings had terminated the contracts of some 20 workers. The termination letter was signed by PKNS Holdings chairperson Norazlina Zakaria.
In a statement today, PKNS said the contracts were terminated in a "restructuring operation" as there were redundancies between the contract workers and permanent staff.
