KOTA KINABALU: Malaysian employers’ applications to hire Indonesians to work in plantations would be rejected if they don’t agree to the Indonesia Consulate General’s wage terms of RM18 per day or minimum RM550 a month to the workers.
            Dr Azhari Kasim of the Consulate said the workers must also be given four days rest in a month.
            “The standard terms is that the plantation workers work eight hours a day or 26 days in a month,” he said when met at the Sabah Immigration department office, here.
            Earlier, he discussed matters relating to Indonesians looking for jobs in Sabah and relevant procedures to apply for entry into Malaysia soil with Sabah Immigration Department Director, Baharon Talib.
            He said if Malaysian employers offer to the workers less than RM18 a day or RM550 a month, his government has the right to reject such applications.
            As for factory workers, Dr Azahari, who also heads the Tawau Consulate General Liaison Office, said the employers must be ready to pay them a minimum of RM700 monthly.
            In addition, he said employers should bear the recruitment fee levied by the recruitment agency.
            When asked, he said cases of Indonesian plantation or factory workers being paid less than the standard terms is negligible.
            “We don’t want to make the issue big because of the hundreds of thousand of Indonesian workers employed in Sabah, only some are facing this problem,” he said.
            Nevertheless, he stressed that the employers must go through the proper and legal channel when hiring workers from Indonesia.
            Dr Azahari said his countrymen would be required to enter Malaysia using the right procedures.
            But sometimes, he claimed Malaysian employers used other tactics to bring in workers from his country through illegal means that inevitably would cause problems to both governments.
            “These workers do not want any problems with Malaysian authorities but because of these (unscrupulous) employers, they have been affected by the problem,” he said.
            Baharon, meanwhile, said he has asked his Indonesian counterpart’s co-operation to expedite processing of their countrymen’s applications to works in Sabah because the State’s plantation sector needs a huge number of labourers.
            Legally, he said there are about 212,000 Indonesians working in the various plantations and factories throughout Sabah and about 18,000 Filipinos working mostly in the construction and services sectors.
            The demand for workers from Indonesia is more because of the demand from the plantation and manufacturing sectors, he said.
            Dr Azahari said just recently, he handled almost 17,000 applications from Sabah for plantation workers.
            On other developments, Baharon said the Immigration Department welcomes discussions with its Indonesian counterparts to improve on ties and co-operation.
            Also present were representatives from the Indonesian Nunukan Department of Labour, Nunukan Immigration Department and Indonesian recruitment Labour Agency.

KOTA KINABALU: Employers and employees in Sabah have been urged to maintain a cordial relationship while tackling the problems arising from provisions in the amended Labbour Ordinance which came into effect on April

Making the call, Resource Development and IT Minister Datuk Dr Yee Moh Chai said there was bound to be problems at the beginning in any new legislation and adjustments must be made.
           
“But it is for the good of everyone to resolve any problem that surfaces,” he said after officiating at a briefing on the Sabah Labour Ordinance organized by Sabah Journalist Association (SJA) here yesterday.
           
Dr Yee said he had received complaints from both the employers and employees on matters like overtime payment, annual leave and public holidays “but what is important is that they must maintain a cordial relationship”.
           
He said they should refrain from antagonizing each other as it would not benefit them economically.
           
The media, he said, could play a viral role in disseminating information to the parties concerned regarding the rights of employers and employees under the amended Ordinance.
           
“They have be aware of that (amendment) due to the need to avoid any dispute or being penalized under the law.
           
“This legislature is important as it governs the working relations between employers and employees – it defined their rights,” Dr Yee said.
The amended Labour Ordinance was passed by Parliament in December 2004 but the government postponed its enforcement to give employers more time to adjust themselves with the new provisions.
           
It was supposed to be enforce last October but Sabah requested for another grace period of six months before it came into effect on April 1.
           
Dr Yee said the grace period had been important useful because it gave ample time to employers and employees to better understand the relevant provisions through the various dialogues organized by his ministry.
           
Among the new sections introduced in the amended Ordinance were those on working days and hours allowed and employment of children and young persons in public entertainment outlets, the provision of annual leave eligibility for workers between eight and 16 days a year according to their period of employment and the eligibility to enjoy medical leave of between 14 and 22 days a year.
           
Meanwhile, SJA president Joniston Bangkuai said the National union of Journalists Malaysia president Norlia Mohd Daud concurred it was high time for journalists in Sabah to form a union as a channel for them and employers to discuss matter related to their interest and welfare.
           
He said Norila has rejected numerous offers of promotion in her company simply because she wanted to continue to fight for better treatment for journalists in Malaysia.
           
“I believe a happy reporter is a productive reporter and when a reporter is productive his or her employer will be happy.
           
“I also believe the formation of a union will provide employees and employers the avenue to enhance cooperation and understanding which in term will benefit the media industry in Sabah,” Joniston said.
           
Tg Kamazeri Ismail from the State Labour Department conducted the brefing yesterday.

EMPLOYERS REQUIRED TO GIVE WRITTEN NOTICE TO LABOUR DEPARTMENT
New Sabah Times
Friday 7 April 2006
By: Paul Mu

KOTA KINABALU: Employers in Sabah are reminded to give written notice to the Labour Department of various particulars of their business.
           
The six months’ grace period for the implementation of the provisions of the amended Labour Ordinance (Sabah Cap 67) under which employers have to comply with the provision of Section 59A, ends on April 1, 2006.
           
Section 59A of the ordinance requires employers to furnish information in writing to the Labour Department office having administrative jurisdiction for the area in which their business under-taking or establishment is located, said senior assistant director of Sabah Labour Department Mohidin Majin yesterday.
           
He made the announcement during the briefing on the newly amended Sabah Labour Ordinance organized by Sabah Journalist Association at a resort here.
           
The employers are requested to provide the department with particulars such as (i) the registered name, address and nature of the business, (ii) the name of the manager or person in charge, and (iii) a statement of the categories and total number of employers in that undertaking or establishment.
           
This requirement has to be complied with within 90 days of the proposal for the operation of any agriculture, forestry or industrial under-taking or any establishment where any commerce, trade, profession or business of any description is carried on, to take over or commence business in such undertaking or establishment, or to change the name or the location of such undertaking or establishment, he said.
           
“Failure to comply with this requirement is an offence under the ordinance and upon conviction, an employer shall be liable to a fine not exceeding RM10,000,” he said.

Kota Kinabalu: Menteri Pembangunan Sumber dan Teknologi Maklumat Datuk Yee Moh Chai mengakui, pasti berlaku sedikit masalah dalam pelaksanaan Ordinan Buruh Sabah yang dipinda apabila majikan dan pekerj amelalui pengubahsuaian.
           
“Akhirnya ia baik untuk semua orang. Perundangan itu memastikan suasana baik untuk pembinaan negara, mengelak satu keadaan dalam mana kedua-dua pihak saling bermusuhan,” katanya.
           
Menurut beliau, hubungan antara majikan dan pekerja perlu berada dalam keadaan saksama.
           
“Saya diberi tanggungjawab untuk memastikan SLO itu memberi faedah secukupnya dan ini bukanlah mudah kerana ordinan sebelum ini itu digunakan sejak 40 tahun yang lalu.” Katanya.
           
Dalam proses pelaksanaannya, mereka menemui beberapa isu penting yang membabitkan pihak berkuasa Kerajaan Negeri dan Persekutuan dan terpaksa mencari jalan untuk mengatasinya.
           
Masalahnya adalah, tidak ada perundangan berhubung dengan hak majikan dan pengguna. “Pada masa yang sama, kita mempunyai Akta Pekerjaan di Semenanjung, yang sudah tentu jika dibandingkan dengan SLO ketika itu jauh lebih mencukupi.
           
“Sekarang ia sudah menjadi undang-undang, saya rasa adalah penting untuk melalui semua saluran, semua platform dan semua media untuk memastikan bukan majikan sahaja tahu tentang tanggungjawab mereka serta implikasinya. Pekerja sendiri harus faham yang terdapat penghadang dan tidak seharusnya mempunyai harapan yang terlalu tinggi.” Katanya.
           
Menurutnya, kesaksamaan amat penting bagi kedua-dua pihak kerana jika hubungan tidak baik dan sentiasa dalam perseteruan, negeri akan menghadapi masalah.
           
“Berhubung perlaksanaan SLO, saya menerima input daripada majikan dan pekerja. Pada keseluruhannya pekerja gembira. Sekurang-kurangnya mereka layak mendapat faedah tertentu seperti bayaran lebih masa.
           
Tetapi malangnya, ada aduan daripada majikan, mereka bertanya: “kenapakah ordinan itu harus dipinda atau kenapa tidak kekalkan sahaja status quo itu?” Tetapi kita harus lakukan apa yang betul.
           
Sebagai contoh kata Dr Yee, beliau bercakap dengan seorang pengurus bessar salah sebuah agensi di bawah kementeriannya, Perbadanan Tenaga Sabah (SEC).
           
“Saya tanya beliau bagaimana kesal SLO itu terhadap mereka. Katanya, mereka tidak menghadapi kesukaran dalam mematuhinya kerana mereka memberikan syarat yang sama kepada majikan seperti apa yang digariskan dalam Ordinan itu. Malah, katanya, mereka memberi tawaran yang lebih baik daripada apa yang ditawarkan SLO. Jadi adakah SEC terjejas? Tidak, ia terus menjadi salah satu agensi paling berjaya di bawah Kerajaan Negeri.
           
“Pengajaran di sini adalah hubungan majikan dan pekerja harus sentiasa baik. Dan kita mahu pastikan ini berlaku.

Kota Kinabalu: Majikan di Sabah diingatkan supaya mematuhi peruntukan Seksyen 59A Ordinan Buruh (Sabah Bab 67) yang menghendaki mereka mengeluarkan botis bertulis kepada Jabatan Tenaga Kerja.
           
Menurut seorang jurucakap Jabatan, notis berkenaan perlu diserah kepada ke pejabat terdekat yang mempunyai bidang kuasa bagi sesuatu perusahaan ditempatkan.
           
Tindakan ini dibuat berikutan berakhirnya tempoh enam bulan pengesahan untuk pelaksanaan peruntukan-peruntukan Ordinan Buruh (Sabah Bab 67) yang telah dipinda, pada 1 April, 2006.
       
Mereka perlu mengemukakan maklumat seperti:

1. nama berdaftar, alamat dan jenis perniagaan;
2. nama pengurus atau orang yang bertanggungjawab, dan
3. penyata tentang kategori-kategori dan jumlah bilangan pekerja yang diambil kerja di dalam perusahaan itu.

Katanya, keperluan ini hendaklah dipatuhi dalam tempoh 90 hari daripada cadangan untuk menjalankan apa-apa perusahaan pertanian atau perindustrian atau di mana apa-apa perdagangan, tred, profesion atau perniagaan dijalankan, untuk mangambil alih atau memulakan perniagaan dalam sesuatu perusahaan tersebut, atau menukar nama atau lokasi perusahaan perniagaan tersebut.
“Kegagalan mematuhi kehendak ini adalah merupakan satu kesalahan di bawah peruntukan Ordinan Buruh (Sabah Bab 67) dan jika sabit kesalahan, seseorang majikan akan dikenakan denda tidak melebihi sepuluh ribu ringgit,” kata jurucakap tersebut.
Jika memerlukan sebarang keterangan lanjut, para majikan adalah dinasihatkan supaya menghubungi Pejabat-pejabat Tenaga Kerja yang terdekat.

KOTA KINABALU: Employees in Sabah are reminded to comply with the provisions of the amended Sabah Labour Ordinance, including Section 59A of the Ordinance which requires them to furnish the State Labour Department with information on their business operations or establishments within 90 days.

Among the particulars of their undertakings or establishments which they have to submit to the nearest Labour Department office having jurisdiction over their areas are the registered name, address and nature of business; the name of the manager or person in chargers; and a statement of the categories and total number of employees hired in each establishment.
 
The Director of Sabah Labour Department, Siti Aishah bte Mohd Asri said that the six-month grace period for the implementation of the provisions under the amended Labour Ordinance (Sabah Cap 67) had ended by April 1 this year, thus they have to comply with the provisions including that under Section 59A.

            Siti Aishah said a statement yesterday that the requirement has to be complied with within 90 days of the proposal to operate any agricultural, forestry or industrial undertakings or any establishments where any commerce, trade, profession or business of any description is carried on.

            The same applies to takeover or commencement of business in such undertaking or establishment, change of the name of the location, she said.
             
            “Failure to comply with his requirement is an offence under the Ordinance and upon conviction, an employer shall be liable to fine not exceeding RM10,000,’ she added.

            For further information, employers are advised to consult the nearest Labour Department office.