It is a hot afternoon, the sort that keeps people indoors as far as possible. But to the hundreds of people who have gathered outside the Kementerian Sumber Manusia (human resources ministry) building on Jalan Bukit Damansara, the blazing heat hardly occupies their foremost thoughts.
As a matter of fact, they are there to apply some heat themselves, but on the ministry. About 800 workers representing various unions, coming together under the Malaysian Trades Union Congress, waiting patiently for their leader to show up. And across the road, their brethren from other unions. All standing proudly displaying their different affiliations, united in their patience and fortitude.
When workers come together, they cease to be governed by petty differences. They are a social class in and of themselves, transcending communalism, racism and other divisive factors. That is why unions are feared by employers and even more so by governments.
The assembly that Wednesday marks a historic moment. There has not been such a strong show of force by the MTUC for the last decade or so.
They are just ordinary working people who feel that injustices have been perpetrated. And they want these injustices to be made known. Some are smiling happily, some are worried and frowning, and some are just trying to fan away the heat. They represent all the major races in the country and they share common complaints. They just want to be heard.
Not allowed leave
"(For) three years we didn't get any increment and (for) two years we did not get any bonus," one participant, a worker from a waste management company, tells malaysiakini.
"We don't want to go against the company. We follow the rules but we also need something and they don't want to give. Whatever they say, we must do. We hope MTUC can help us," he says.
He looks tired. He is forced to be absent from work without leave because his company refuses to let him and his colleagues. It is brave and courageous on their part to do so. Such an open challenge to authority can very well mean dismissal in certain places.
Slowly the workers form a line, and soon after a car stops and out walks the man they have been waiting for, their president, Zainal Rampak (photo). Walking slowly amidst the crowd, he is greeted with "Hidup Zainal!" "Hidup Union!" as the faces of the workers immediately lights up with his presence, as if some great feeling of hope has descended upon them.
Zainal is swept awash in a sea of people, the fisted hands raised in unison, shouting "Hidup Union!", with the encouraging honks of passing vehicles only increasing their resolve. The banners quickly unfurl in the wind and bearing the words, "Wherefore Workers Rights? Workers Unite!", they billow gently, forming a long blue-and-red line that spans half a kilometre.
Some are still in their uniforms, others are more casually dressed. Some wear MTUC caps and others have curious-looking red bandanas tied around their necks. They are sweating profusely, perhaps just a minor discomfort for the larger cause that they are there for.
There is a greater sense of security walking into the group of workers, rather than standing next to the policemen and FRU personnel, armed to the hilt with batons, shields and tear gas.
"Who requested for the police to be here? Where did you guys come from? Did the ministry call for you?" A reporter asks.
"Why you ask me?" A high-ranking police officer with dazzling silver stars on his shoulder, demands in return.
The casual yet gruff brush-off by the police officer is quite disconcerting. He walks off into the distance, talks to few constables, another superior officer and SB-looking-type men, a few who are carrying video cameras.
Another uniformed police officer cuts into the crowd like a knife, seemingly in search of a few high-ranking MTUC officials.
A nucleus of sorts have formed now in front of the ministry's doors. A gaggle of reporters now surrounds Zainal, furiously scribbling on notepads and hanging on to his every word, and photographers all pointing their cameras at him.
The nucleus becomes even tighter when a ministry official comes down to finally receive the memorandum that MTUC has drafted, listing the major grievances which the unions have with the ministry. Simple as the two-page document is, it represents the voice of the workers, something not to be taken lightly.
"Oh, the minister is busy and cannot come down to greet you. He just had a cabinet meeting. But I will pass the memorandum on to him and try to resolve these issues as soon as possible."
And off he goes, almost as soon as he appears.
Quiet dispersal
Towards the end of the picket, the people begin to load up into busses, quietly and peacefully dispersing. Some linger a while with friends, discussing excitedly what has transpired that day.
The minister is supposed to hold a post-cabinet meeting press conference, so it is surprising to find that the glass doors of the ministry have been shut. A few reporters are already inside the building.
"Why aren't you letting people in?" someone asks.
The guard says, "How can I? Can't you see? I cannot let anybody in because of what is happening outside. Usually I let people in; because of the trouble these people had caused, I cannot let anybody in."
What trouble? All they did was to picket during lunch hour when it was least disruptive for anybody, be it the workers assembled there or the people coming in and out of the office buildings.
Union members have demonstrated and spoken about their grouses, but did the ministry listen, with humanity, as would be implied in its name, with the core wordmanusia(human) prominently displayed on the board, despite its falling letter "N"? Only the minister knows.