History Shows How Important Industrial Harmony is in Malaysia

Two days ago, Malaysian workers joined millions worldwide in celebrating Labour Day.

In 1972, the then Deputy Prime Minister Tun Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman officially declared Labour Day as a public holiday to recognise workers' contribution to the country's prosperity and progress.

The workers viewed this announcement as powerful because this country recognised the contribution of workers and shows that the government is in agreement with the decisions of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention, which established on May 1 as Labour Day.

Today, we still celebrate Labour Day. The role of workers has become more relevant as their commitment and dedication will decide the survival and sustainability of business organisations and companies in the long run.

Industrial actions in Malaya 

In post-war Malaya, there were many forms of industrial actions, including: 

• Work-to-rule,
• Strikes,
• Go-slow, and
• Wildcat strikes

These actions were common to support workers' claims for increased wages and improved working conditions. 

Employers and employees must work together to protect industrial harmony. 

Some saw strikes as non-productive because of:

• The considerable inconvenience it caused to the general public,
• Heavy losses to businesses,
• Loss of income to the employees involved.

In 1951, after the registration of trade union, workers became more organised and were represented by organisations such as:

• Transport Workers' Union,
• The Railwaymen's Union of Malaya,
• The National Union of Plantation Workers.

Industrial harmony

In Malaysia, today's industrial harmony is possible thanks to the goodwill and understanding between employers, employees and pragmatic labour policies. 

Compared to many Asian countries, Malaysian workers are economically and socially ahead. This was made possible because of the past trade union leaders like PP. Narayanan, V. David, Tan Sri Zainal Rampak and their successors.

Thanks to the authorities' timely intervention, most proposed strikes were avoided at the last minute, and many were cancelled after protracted negotiations between employers and unions.

The longest strike in the history of Malaysia

In Malaysia, the longest strike in history involved 13,000 Malayan Railway employees. In December 1962, they demanded that 9,000 daily-rated workers be converted to monthly-salaried employees. 

The whole railway network in Malaysia came to a stop at that time. The strike badly hit the public, traders and merchant. It also temporarily ceased the transportation of essential good such as rubber and tin. 

The then Transport Minister Tun Sardon Jubir managed to bring an end to the strike, which lasted for 22 days. 

Employers need to use human resources effectively to grow their business. If they wish to stay competitive, employers should focus on productivity and skills acquisition. 

To ensure that the workers' well-being is protected, the government continues to review and improve labour laws. The latest being the increased rate of minimum wage in February 2020. 

Source: The Star 

Sign up now to become one of our first 100 customers, and post your job ad on 5 job platforms at ONLY RM400++!
Call or WhatsApp us at 018-9666 610 for more info!
Click here for easy link to our WhatsApp
Click here to sign up!

Articles that might interest you 
Eight Workers Receive Back Wages From Company's False Claims
What Do Experts Think About the Minimum Wage Review?
Singapore & Malaysia Will Allow Travel on Compassionate Grounds