The Labour Solidarity and Learning Resources Association says the amendments to the Sabah & Sarawak Labour Ordinance should be tabled at the current meeting of Parliament to do away with the ‘three labour laws in one country’ system. (Bernama pic)
PETALING JAYA: A workers’ group has called on the government to table amendments to the Sabah & Sarawak Labour Ordinance (SLO), saying the recent passing of amendments to two employment-related laws was insufficient.
The Labour Solidarity and Learning Resources Association (LLRC) said the amendments to the Employees’ Social Security Act 1969 (Act 4) and the Employment Insurance System Act 2017 (Act 800) were a “progressive step” to ensure more workers are covered by social protection.
The amendments to the two laws, which were unanimously passed on June 25, increased the maximum insurable salary amount for Social Security Organisation (Socso) contributions from RM5,000 to RM6,000.
However, LLRC secretary Gopal Kishnam Nadesan said the amendments were not enough to protect the interests of workers without tabling the amendments to the SLO, which would include extending maternity and paternity leave as well as reducing weekly working hours.
“Workers in Sabah and Sarawak have long awaited the amendments (to the SLO) to ensure that workers’ rights in Malaysia, whether in Peninsular Malaysia or in Sabah and Sarawak, are equalised,” he said in a statement.
Gopal noted that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had said during the Labour Day celebration two months ago that the amendments would be tabled in the “next” Parliament session.
The current meeting, which began on June 24, will run until July 18.
“The government should fulfill the prime minister’s promise by tabling the Sarawak and Sabah Labour Ordinance (amendment) bill immediately in Parliament to eliminate the ‘three labour laws in one country’ system currently in place,” he said.
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