MTUC president hopeful Shahir hopes to be fourth time lucky
For the fourth time, Syed Shahir Syed Mohamud is challenging incumbent Zainal Rampak for the presidential post in the Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) triennial elections this Wednesday.
His first try in 1994, he lost by six precious votes. He tried in vain twice after that. But despite three failed attempts, his spirit has not flagged. Will he be fourth-time lucky?
Despite the odds stacked against him, Syed Shahir, 50, is still determined to face another fight to pry veteran Zainal, who has led the largest private sector union umbrella body for the last 17 years, from his seat.
He told malaysiakini in an interview he has "quite a good chance" this time around, but concedes that like every election candidate s the matter closest to his heart, Syed Shahir said.
The temporary teacher in a Kuala Lipis secondary school who turned career trade unionist 27 years ago says he is worried for the future of the countrys youth if there isnt a strong labour movement in the country.
"Every time I pass by a kindergarten or school, I wonder whether there will be enough shelter, jobs and food for all in another 10 or 20 years.
"What will happen to our children? Have we planned to tackle their future possibilities? Are we ready?" he asked.
No guarantee of job security
Syed Shahir believes that workers' voices should be heard and taken seriously to foster a strong labour movement for the good of the countrys future.
"It is a question of livelihood that if not addressed now, would only worsen in the future. I feel that the underlying reason for racial clashes is poverty.
"As it stands now, there is no guarantee of security of employment apart from legal compensation, and this is the situation in Malaysia, considered a rich country in the region," he added.
He believes his humble beginnings, together with valuable "lessons learnt from past mistakes", may stand him in good stead in the hotly-contested MTUC election.
"We all learn from past mistakes, as I have. Along the way, I've gained new friends. I believe that a good sign of a leader is consistency, which also reflects a man's character," he said.
He is also unfazed by the politics that comes with the job. Shahir who also serves as the executive secretary of the National Union of Transport Equipment Allied Industry Workers, says there is an obvious split among the 17 MTUC principal office-bearers.
He claims that only two were in his competitors camp, otherwise known as Zainal's Team A.
"More than half of the current leadership are in our team (Team B aligned to MTUC secretary-general G Rajasekaran). So, there must be a good reason why they are not in Team A."
Dangerous elitism
Like comrade-in-arms Rajasekaran, Syed Shahir, too, questions the lack of action in labour matters, saying that negotiations and discussions are futile when it comes to major issues.
"I do not want rhetoric anymore. We must have a plan of action with a solid and committed team. There are a lot of issues — minimum wage, retrenchment fund/scheme, death and incapacitation benefits, EPF annuity scheme — that needed to be resolved.
"But no one can do it alone, we need a good team working together," he added.
Syed Shahir, who joined his present union as an industrial relations officer, said he accepted the offer to contest once more because he "saw the MTUC heading towards an elitist grouping of individuals".
"I feel this is very dangerous for the Congress. Leaders come and go but the organisation stays. What kind of a legacy do we want to leave behind?
"Now, the trend in the Congress is very personality-based. It doesn't reflect the principle of collectivism. There is a need to stem the spread of this approach," he said.
Apolitical union
On allegations leveled against Team B that it is anti-government, influenced by foreign elements and pro-opposition, Syed Shahir says these were baseless as they cannot be substantiated.
"The MTUC is independent, progressive and apolitical, which are vital in trade unionism. We have to take a stand, regardless of government policies.
"If a policy requires female workers to work at night without adequate protection, we must be firm and say no, regardless of whether the government of the day is Barisan Nasional or PAS.
"We must have the courage to stand firm for workers' rights," he said.
Syed Shahir also criticised the government for pretending' to be worker-friendly when the huge backlog of cases in the Industrial Court itself speaks volumes about the effectiveness of the relevant agencies.
"The oft-cited reasons of manpower shortage and small budget allocation are but a lame excuse which reflects the government's low priority on labour issues.
"It is not enough to say that we are friends of the workers' at the rostrum during May Day celebrations every year when pertinent issues take a back seat," he said.
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