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Daily Express
5 hours ago
- Business
- Daily Express
Equal legal protection of Sabah, Sarawak workers: Enforcement of amended Sabah labour law ends 20 years of injustice
Published on: Tuesday, June 10, 2025 Published on: Tue, Jun 10, 2025 Text Size: From left: Datuk Indra Ayub, Dr Kelvin Yii, Wan Zulkifli, Steven Sim, Mohd Shahbudin, Saidih Alih and Mohd Airy Arin. Kota Kinabalu: Minister of Human Resources Steven Sim Chee Keong said Sabah and Sarawak workers cannot enjoy lesser legal protection than their peninsula counterparts. 'All workers in Malaysia must be treated equally. With the enforcement of the ordinance amendments, we have ended two decades of injustice,' he said, during a working visit, recently. Advertisement Steven stressed the importance of direct engagement with workers and union leaders, a practice he aims to instil throughout the Ministry. 'Face-to-face engagement must become a continued practice for every Minister of Human Resources. I hope that even after I no longer hold this position, unions will continue to advocate for this tradition to be upheld. 'Such visits are crucial as they involve senior Ministry officials, allowing us to hear firsthand the challenges at the grassroots level. We should not wait for workers to come to us with complaints; we must go to them,' he said. The visit marked his first following the enforcement of amendments to the Sabah and Sarawak Labour Ordinance, which came into effect on May 1, 2025. The amendments to the Labour Ordinance provide direct benefits to workers, including a reduction of working hours by 3 hours to 45 hours per week, 98 days of maternity leave, seven days of paternity leave, and an expansion of the ordinance's coverage to all workers, regardless of salary, unlike the previous limit of RM2,500. He praised SHRREU for its courage and perseverance in fighting for the rights of hospitality and restaurant workers, a struggle that began in 2013. The union has since taken its case to the Federal Court to defend workers' rights regarding service charges and minimum wages. 'From just six members, SHRREU now boasts more than 400 members and its own office. This is proof that when workers unite, they can become strong and bold in demanding their rights,' he said. The Minister also encouraged unions to negotiate starting salaries above the minimum wage, highlighting the importance of written Collective Agreements (CAs) between employers and unions in safeguarding workers' rights. 'The minimum wage is set by the government for workers who do not have a CA. If there is a CA, the starting salary must be above the minimum wage. This is my message to all employers and union leaders,' he emphasized. Steven congratulated SHRREU's Secretary-General, Mohd Shahbuddin Abdullah, on his appointment as a permanent member of the Sabah Labour Advisory Council (SLAC), established on May 13, 2025, after years of advocacy - strengthening the voice of Sabah's workers at the national policy level. 'We not only want laws to be consistent across the country but also to ensure that worker representatives and unions sit together at the table for national labour policy negotiations,' he added. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Daily Express
5 days ago
- Business
- Daily Express
Historic moment for Sabah workers: Union
Published on: Thursday, June 05, 2025 Published on: Thu, Jun 05, 2025 Text Size: Steven during his working visit to SHRREU's office, recently. Kota Kinabalu: The Sabah Hotel, Resort & Restaurant Employees Union (SHRREU) hailed the official working visit by Human Resources Minister Steven Sim Chee Keong as a historic moment for workers in the State. SHRREU Secretary-General Mohd Shahbudin Abdullah said this marks the first time a Federal Human Resources Minister visited SHRREU's office, a gesture the union described as meaningful and long overdue. 'For decades, no minister has come down to meet with workers in Sabah. Steven's visit shows real commitment to hearing our voices,' he said, recently. During the visit, the union thanked the Minister for delivering on a key promise, the enforcement of the Sabah Labour Ordinance (Amendment) 2025, which was gazetted on May 1 after years of delay. He also emphasised that the amendment brings much-needed updates to labour protections in Sabah, aligning them more closely with standards in Peninsular Malaysia. 'We waited since 2022 for this amendment. Thanks to the Minister's strong leadership, it's now a reality,' Shahbudin said. SHRREU also welcomed the introduction of the Madani's Card Worker, a discount card for union members that offers savings of up to 30 per cent to help with the cost of living. The union urged the ministry to include more Sabah-based vendors to ensure workers in the State can benefit fully. 'We appreciate the initiative, but hope more local partners can be added so Sabah workers aren't left behind,' he said. The union also raised concerns over salary disparities, noting that long-serving workers often receive the same pay as new hires — an issue that has created long-standing dissatisfaction. They urged the ministry to review the policy and offer fairer wage structures. Additionally, SHRREU expressed gratitude for being appointed to the Sabah Labour Advisory Council (SLAC), describing it as a meaningful recognition of the union's role in representing workers' interests. 'We are confident that under Steven's leadership, worker welfare will continue to improve, and the workplace environment in Sabah will become more fair and inclusive,' Shahbudin said. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
