Policies outlined in Pakatan Rakyat's 'Buku Jingga' ('Orange Book') will strive to ensure equal distribution of wealth to solve the problems faced by the country's working class.

"Under the current administration, when it is a problem for workers, it is as though the country's economy will not be affected," said executive director of the Selangor government's economic advisor's office, Rafizi Ramli.

Addressing some 300 participants at Pakatan's ‘Workers Congress based on the Orange Book' forum, Rafizi, who was only given 10 minutes to elaborate on the book, emphasised on its benefits to workers which make up a large chunk of the lower income group.

buku jingga workers congress 220511 The other panellists were Former Malaysian Trade Union Congress (MTUC) president Syed Shahir Syed Mohamud ( left ), Zentrum Future Studies founder Professor Abu Hassan and DAP Labour bureau chief A Sivanesan, as well as PAC central committee member Mohamad Sabu.

The forum was moderated by Kuala Langat member of parliament Abdullah Sani.

It has been argued by Pakatan's elected representatives that the working class has been burdened with stagnant wages since the past decade, with salaries going up by just 2.6 percent between 2000 and 2010.

If given five years to administrate the federal government from Putrajaya, Rafizi said that the average household income will increase to RM4,000 to aid the working class in tandem with the rapidly rising living costs due to the government's on-going subsidy rationalisation plan.

However, it is only possible with the enactment of the minimum wages bill to ensure that the minimum income of the working class is between RM1,500 and RM2,000, he said, as currently 72 percent of workers earned less than RM1,500.

Rafizi reasoned that it will resolve issues pertaining to low productivity, which over the years has been caused by the suppression of wages by employers.

He blamed the country's longest serving prime minister, Mahathir Mohamad, for policies detrimental to the working class.

"In the Mahathir era, in order to lure in investment, the government promised that workers wages will be retained and kept low.

"It is a common policy in most countries but it is only at the initial stages for most, not forever like in Malaysia.

"In ‘Buku Jingga' we promise that minimum wages laws will be implemented in full force so that distribution of income will be parallel, it is not just a populist promise," he added.

Docile labourers

Former Malaysian Trade Union Congress (MTUC) president Syed Shahir Syed Mohamud said that despite having been treated badly by the BN government for 54 years since 1957, the working class still votes them into power.

"The most docile of mammals in this country are workers, compared to animals like lions and tigers... their (minds) are easily swayed and twisted by lies," he said.

buku jingga workers congress 220511 "If there is a hike in fuel prices overseas, there is an automatic rise here but here we live is a twisted situation... where there a ruler might not own a Rolls-Royce but the chief minister of Sarawak has more than one," said Syed Shahir sarcastically.

He warned that if the trend of voting in BN continued, the working class would be the ones to lose.

"If Pakatan comes into power we will demand that all laws detrimental to the rights of workers are abolished and replaced with laws benefiting both parties," said Syed Shahir.

A memorandum from a group attending the function was submitted to the Pakatan leaders present calling for the abolition of the Employment Act, reduction of working hours from 48 to 40 hours a week and to do away with contractual labour systems.

They also appealed to have the Social Security Organisation (Socso) benefits to be extended beyond the workplace to include accident coverage at home.