KUALA LUMPUR – Labour unions have welcomed newly minted Human Resources Minister Steven Sim’s appointment and the worker-centric direction he has set for the ministry.
In a statement, Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) president Mohd Effendy Abdul Ghani welcomed Sim’s focus on progressive wages, social protection and other national employment issues.
“These at the moment are the priorities of employees in Malaysia and need the ministry’s attention,” he said, expressing hope for a continued good relationship between MTUC and the ministry.
Effendy also praised Sim’s appointment of seasoned union activist Chee Yeeh Ceeu as his special functions officer.
“This is an honour to Malaysia’s trade union movement as it allows unions to directly contribute their thoughts and suggestions to the minister.”
Chee is a member of MTUC’s general council and treasurer-general of the National Union of Bank Employees.
The Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (Cuepacs) also said Sim’s appointment of Chee was an important indication of the new minister’s direction.
“It indicates Sim’s openness to form good relationships with workers, and will empower workers’ welfare,” said Cuepacs president Datuk Adnan Mat.
The direction highlighted by Sim for his ministry is also in line with the struggle of labour unions with regard to providing workers with more dignified pay, Adnan added.
“Cuepacs hopes the ministry will always consider and accept the views of labour unions, especially in matters involving policy formulation,” he said in a statement.
Both Cuepacs and MTUC commended the ministry’s decision to scrap the controversial Skills Passport project.
Sim announced this yesterday, saying the multi-million ringgit project had been delayed for over a year and was no longer suitable for implementation.
Besides that, he said the ministry would also structure the National Human Resources Policy and expedite the Progressive Wage Model’s pilot project. – December 21, 2023