Veteran unionist Francis Xavier, 59, who had campaigned to establish an electronics workers union over the past 30 years, did not see the fruit of his labour as a result of his sudden death which has shocked the workers fraternity.

Francis xavier cortege leaving church Malaysian Trades Union Congress president Syed Shahir Syed Muhamad said Xavier managed to finally register the Northern Regional Electronics Union, where he became its first coordinator before he was killed in a road accident on Wednesday.

“In the last lap of his life, he was unable to taste the fruit of his long labour.

Syed Shahir Syed Muhamad at francis xavier's funeral "He is now gone. However, we hope we can continue the struggle for him,” said a visibly distressed Syed Shahir ( right ), when met at Xavier’s funeral in Penang.

“He was a great friend and comrade; he was honest and blunt, and would criticise me openly on issues based on principles he held dear,” said Syed Shahir, who is PKR Kelana Jaya division chief.

Batu parliamentarian Tian Chua, who also attended the funeral, burst into tears when Xavier’s cortege was leaving the church for a nearby burial ground.

tian chua sobbing at francis xavier funeral “It’s really a big loss for us, for the union movement and his friends,” he said in between sobs ( left ).

“We learnt a lot from him, especially in union organising. He had real dedication to his work,” added Chua, who had known Xavier since the early 90s when the former was with the Labour Resource Centre.

Xavier, who had mostly kept a low profile unlike many of his peers in the union, had touched many lives, and was popularly known to be a steadfast and loyal friend, especially to those in need.

He had privately assisted many in labour disputes and received no monetary rewards for his intervention.

A life-long mission

Xavier began his activism in the 1970s when he landed a job as a laboratory assistant in Palmex, a palm oil refinery in Perai, where he set up the first union there.

He later joined the Rubber Union as an industrial officer and became its executive secretary. Ten years ago, he left the union to become a freelance activist.

Veteran unionist Francis Xavier funeral Xavier was most prominent in his work with electronics factory Mostek, where a massive strike was held in 1985. That episode propelled him to further fight for the right of the electronics workers to be unionised.

Only a week before his death, the Regional Electronic Workers Union held its first annual general meeting in Perai, where some 200 workers attended the historic event.

Since the 1970s, the government had backed electronic multinationals, which make Malaysia their base to produce electronic chips and other products, in banning workers from forming a national union. This allowed the electronics factories to keep a lid on wages.

Led by the MTUC, the workers had demonstrated, protested and expressed their grievances to the International Labour Organisation over the last four decades.

The government finally relented earlier this year. But while the ban on a national union remained, the government nevertheless allowed the registration of four regional unions, with the northern region covering Perlis, Kedah and Penang.

k veeriah sobbing at francis xavier funeral A teary-eyed MTUC Penang branch secretary K Veeriah ( right ) said Xavier was extremely occupied with work in the week before his death as he was deeply immersed in preparing paperwork for the new union.

“All of us were relieved that after 30 years that our struggle finally saw some light,” he said.

“The day he died, he was in Penang to discuss with a group of electronic workers. He had dedicated his whole life to this mission,” added Veeriah, who is Xavier’s schoolmate in Bukit Mertajam High School in the 70s.