The National Union of Plantation Workers confirmed today that their planned nationwide picket has been postponed as a goodwill measure in reaction to the intervention of the Human Resources Ministry in the on-going estate workers' monthly wage issue.

"We have decided to postpone the picket as we would like to see what the Cabinet and Ministry can do with their intervention in the matter," NUPW executive secretary A. Navamukundan said when contacted by malaysiakini today.

He however, refused to say if the picket would be held in case the matter is not resolved.

"I do not want to speculate on anything. We do not want to see it negatively," he said, adding that the union would extend its support to the government's effort.

The picket was originally scheduled for March 9 and 10. It was to be held in plantations nationwide with the support of about 100,000 members of the union to protest against the failed talks between the union and the Malayan Agricultural Producers Association (Mapa).

Discussions on the on-going basic monthly wages and housing problems between the two organisations collapsed after Mapa rejected the union's proposal last Friday.

New Straits Times today reported that Human Resources Minister Dr Fong Chan Onn would meet representatives of the two parties to resolve the matter within two to three days. Fong admitted that the matter could not be delayed any longer and should have been settled long ago.

It has been argued that Malaysian plantations till today are run like during the colonial days. Some 112,800 workers in over 1,000 plantations are still working under a century-old wage system in which they earn a daily wage of RM12 without yearly increments and bonuses.

This is despite that three generations of plantation workers have toiled in these estates and contributed much to the nation's economy.