Minister working on resolving estate workers' woes
Published: Oct 5, 2009 7:33 AM | Updated: Oct 5, 2009 7:36 AM
Human Resources Minister Dr S Subramaniam held talks with plantation giant Sime Darby today to resolve the welfare issues affecting the company's estate workforce in the Bagan Pinang constituency in Negeri Sembilan.
Human Resources Minister Dr S Subramaniam held talks with plantation giant Sime Darby today to resolve the welfare issues affecting the company's estate workforce in the Bagan Pinang constituency in Negeri Sembilan.
The minister was expected to announce the outcome of his meeting with Sime Darby officials on Thursday (Oct 8, 2009) in Bagan Pinang.
During several visits to estates owned by Sime Darby in Bagan Pinang in the past week, Subramaniam gathered feedbacks from the estate workers about their problems.
"The meeting with Sime Darby today was to find solutions to the problems," he said in a statement.
Subramaniam also said he was shocked over allegations by certain quarters that some estate workers in Bagan Pinang were being underpaid, with some allegedly getting only RM300 a month.
"I welcome anybody with information on this to report to me or the labour department," he said, adding that his ministry would take action against the estate management if there were sufficient evidence.
Provide proof to back up claims
He said the labour department has not received any such report, neither of allegations that local workers were being replaced with foreign workers in the estates.
"If there are such reports, the labour department will come down hard on the estate management," he said.
Subramaniam urged all quarters to report to the department immediately if such cases were taking place in any of the estates instead of going to the media.
"These allegations are only misleading the estate workers and it is a grave distortion of the facts," he said, adding that allegations made should be accompanied with evidences so that the department could act swiftly.
He appealed to the various quarters campaigning in the Oct 11 Bagan Pinang by-election not to create discord among the estate workers by disseminating false news.
"We (the ministry) have done a lot to improve the living conditions of estate workers throughout the country. We do not condone abuses by employers," he said.
Subramaniam also said his ministry would be organising a training and job placement programme for the youths in Bagan Pinang on Wednesday.
The minister was expected to announce the outcome of his meeting with Sime Darby officials on Thursday (Oct 8, 2009) in Bagan Pinang.
During several visits to estates owned by Sime Darby in Bagan Pinang in the past week, Subramaniam gathered feedbacks from the estate workers about their problems."The meeting with Sime Darby today was to find solutions to the problems," he said in a statement.
Subramaniam also said he was shocked over allegations by certain quarters that some estate workers in Bagan Pinang were being underpaid, with some allegedly getting only RM300 a month.
"I welcome anybody with information on this to report to me or the labour department," he said, adding that his ministry would take action against the estate management if there were sufficient evidence.
Provide proof to back up claims
He said the labour department has not received any such report, neither of allegations that local workers were being replaced with foreign workers in the estates.
"If there are such reports, the labour department will come down hard on the estate management," he said.
Subramaniam urged all quarters to report to the department immediately if such cases were taking place in any of the estates instead of going to the media.
"These allegations are only misleading the estate workers and it is a grave distortion of the facts," he said, adding that allegations made should be accompanied with evidences so that the department could act swiftly.
He appealed to the various quarters campaigning in the Oct 11 Bagan Pinang by-election not to create discord among the estate workers by disseminating false news.
"We (the ministry) have done a lot to improve the living conditions of estate workers throughout the country. We do not condone abuses by employers," he said.
Subramaniam also said his ministry would be organising a training and job placement programme for the youths in Bagan Pinang on Wednesday.
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