The retrenchment of over 800 employees of Sanmina-SCI, an electronic manufacturer at Samajaya, Kuching, since Monday has turned into a hot political issue between Sarawak United People's Party and the opposition.

The company which had 1,795 on its employment list up to 2010 had gradually trimmed the workforce to 1025 as of end of last month.

More are expected to be retrenched by the yearend.

This morning about 800 workers staged a demonstration near the company office, putting up placards and banners and called for state government intervention.

Both SUPP and DAP leaders were present.

NONE SUPP-BN candidate for Stampin Wilfred Yap expressed sadness that the compensation for their retrenchment of RM260 for a salary of RM460 was low considering the fact that it is a multi-national company.

It would not get the workers anywhere, he said.

"Let's be honest about it. Even if the company is restructuring at least it should get these workers prepared that they may face with the reorganization or restructuring exercise.

"Get them prepared as they have housing and car loans to service. They have families. But if you suddenly terminate their services and give them RM260 upon retrenchment, then it is really sad," Yap said.

Pakatan gets brunt of blame

Blaming their fate squarely on Pakatan Rakyat for its promise that in the event that it formed the government their salaries would be pushed up to RM1, 200 as the minimum wage.

"That promise was made during the last state election. This time around they promised them (workers) RM4, 000 a month.

"I am happy to hear about it, but if I am working for someone, he has to pay my salary of RM10,000 based on the promise given by PR," he said.

Yap pointed out that the consequence will be the company going bust which means salaries going down the drain, not to mention his own "RM10,000".

"Here I just sincerely want to say how, not because I may be a BN candidate for Stampin, not because of that, but because I sincerely hope we are going to have a responsible opposition, " he added.

He also said that the opposition's minimum wage pledge had the whole nation talking about it, pressuring Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak was into adopting the that policy.

"This is the result if you ask me personally caused by the promise of Pakatan Rakyat and I want the rakyat to realize and analyse the situation," he said, pointing out that the government is not dealing with two or three workers, but thousands.

Workers get hit, end result

"You know what would be the amount involved in this exercise, not to mention EPF which the government has increased by one percent?

"PR only talked about it but never offered any solution. In the end the workers are they are the sufferers," he added.

NONE Sarawak DAP leader and Padungan Assemblyman Wong King Wei ( right ), who was at the scene blamed the problem o the government introducing the minimum wage policy ‘alang-alang' (half-heartedly).

"They try to learn from us, but they do it ‘alang-alang', so this is the cause of the problem.

"Najib has to bear the responsibility for what is happening to workers in Sanmina as his minimum wage policy does not come along with open tender, elimination of corruption, reduced car prices and other welfare incentives.

"All should be a package for the people," said Wong, thanking Yap for giving him the answer for the reason that he hadbeen trying to find out.

"I have been trying to ask for the reasons from the government why a lot of foreign companies ,including Sanmina, leaving Sarawak. Why are they closing down?

"Now I know, because of Najib's implementation of minimum wages. So I have to ask Najib to be responsible and pay compensation for the poor policy of implementation," he said.