The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) has challenged Human Resources Minister Dr Fong Chan Onn to a public debate over a string of controversial labour issues said to be affecting the country's workforce.

MTUC secretary-general G Rajasekaran said unions were serious about the allegations they had made, which include the government's apparent disinterest in, among others, solving union busting activities and backlogs of industrial cases.

The ministry and MTUC, the umbrella body which claims to represent 500,000 workers, are currently embroiled in a crisis over these issues. The union is also planning to highlight them in 100,000 flyers to be circulated to workers and politicians over the coming two months.

Both parties have resorted to slugging it out via the media, with the MTUC attacking Fong's alleged inertia in resolving complaints submitted to his ministry over several years.

Rajasekaran, who is also executive secretary of the Metal Industry Employees of Malaysia, said unionists were upset that Fong had described the recent MTUC memorandum to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as "utter rubbish".

"This is an insult to the 1,000 members who went to Putrajaya last month to submit the memorandum . If we are not serious why would so many of us have taken part in this gathering?" Rajasekaran said, when contacted today.

"Instead of responding to us in a professional manner, Fong has decided to attack us personally, calling our memorandum utter rubbish and saying that we are politicising the issue."

Malaysiakini

was unable to contact Fong for comment today despite several attempts.

Verbal battle continues

Following submission of the MTUC memorandum, however, Fong told the media he had briefed the cabinet that these were old issues with which the ministry had already dealt.

He blamed the MTUC for politicising the issue and attacked Rajasekaran for his alleged links with opposition party Parti Keadilan Rakyat.

The outspoken unionist is also peeved that the minister censured him for "travelling around the world to condemn the government".

Responded Rajasekaran: "I have been invited by the party (Keadilan) to speak on workers' issues. I would do that even if PAS or Umno invites me.

"Yes, I do highlight workers' problems when I am abroad but that is because the government has failed to abide by the laws it has enacted, to the extent that employers take advantage of globalisation and exploit workers."

In a related development, Keadilan vice-president Tian Chua also took Fong to task for being 'incompetent' and failing to address MTUC's complaints.

"Fong's remarks against the MTUC are disappointing. The question is why Fong has not taken any action to improve the labour situation," Tian said.

"It is clear from Fong's action that the ministry is not concerned about the problems or about genuinely assisting in resolving the issues."

However, Gerakan vice-president Dr S Vijayaratnam backed Fong, saying that "(he) has done his best to tackle the grievances raised by MTUC".

Vijayaratnam conceded that communications between the ministry and MTUC may be poor but disagreed with the need to bring in a mediator to bridge the gap.

"MTUC must be sensitive the fact that we are still a developing country. We need the workers to help us develop the industries. They can make any demands they want, but must not be controversial," he said.