JOHOR
 
 BN&rsquo;s attempt to counter National Union of Bank Employees&rsquo;s (Nube) picket in Segamat, against caretaker human resources minister S Subramaniam, by putting up a billboard of several unions expressing thanks to him ended up courting even more problems.


 <img align="left" alt="NONE" height="220" src="http://mk-cdn.mkini.net/627/8ba91acf4d312f7d41db0ff46e2215d1.jpg" width="300"/>
 The Sabah Bank Employees Union (SBEU) said it was shocked to learn that its name had been used for Subramaniam's campaign, who is BN's incumbent and candidate for Segamat.


 "We are a trade union movement that is not aligned to any political party, therefore we were shocked to learn that our name had been used for campaigning in West Malaysia.


 "We deny alignment to any political party and our objective is to serve the workers, not any politicians," said SBEU secretary-general Catherine Jikunan when contacted.


 She added the union hopes its name can be removed from the billboard as it did not consent to it.


 The billboard, located on the main road of Segamat town, bore an image of Subramaniam with the words "Thank you Datuk Seri S Subramaniam who is concerned for the workers".


 <img align="right" alt="NONE" height="220" src="http://mk-cdn.mkini.net/627/169feab4c608c568a5e65f45a6ebb055.jpg" width="300"/>
 This is followed by a list of union names, that among others include the National Union of Teaching Profession, All Malayan Estates Staff Union, Printing Industry Employees Union, National Union of Petrolem and Chemical Industry Workers.


 Nube had accused Subramaniam of being anti-union - an allegation the caretaker minister vehemently denies - and has vowed to unseat him in Segamat by planning a
 <a href="http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/228712" target="_blank">
 
 three-day picket
 
 </a>
 in his constituency.


 However, Nube was only able to picket for two days beginning May 1, each of which faced counter-protest from BN supporters.


 It was eventually called off after
 <a href="http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/228804" target="_blank">
 
 police
 
 </a>
 hauled them up and expressed concern that it may lead to tension.


 
 


 'Report lodged over attempted assault'


 In a related development, Nube deputy secretary-general A Karuna said she had lodged a police report against a man she alleged attempted to lunge at her during the picket (
 
 below
 
 ).


 "He lunged at me while I was picketing and said to me in Tamil that he will slap me hard," her police report reads.


 <img align="left" alt="NONE" height="200" src="http://mk-cdn.mkini.net/630/7c3daf1839fa0aa5df25830c4be5fe43.jpg" width="300"/>
 In another matter, Nube secretary-general J Solomon hit out at deputy inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar for suggesting that their picket had political motives, adding that it was only targeting Subramaniam due to his track record with the unions.


 "The allegation has no intelligent basis. In fact, the only politically-motivated gathering is the illegal demonstration conducted most rowdily by Subramaniam's supporters.


 "Nube will continue to be steadfastly apolitical. We are not beholden to any political party, on either side of&nbsp; the&nbsp; political divide," he said.

<img align="left" alt="NONE" height="64" src="http://mk-cdn.mkini.net/630/b946b590386dc7172aded4ceb6c953af.jpg" width="64"/>

 JOHOR

The Sabah Bank Employees Union denies it consented for its name to be used on a billboard thanking the caretaker minister.

Subra's bid to counter Nube courts more problems

~RM12

Share

ABOUT

DIGITAL NETWORK

TERMS OF USE

GENERAL LINE

SUBSCRIPTION / TECH SUPPORT

EDITORIAL

LOCATION

RSS FEEDS

DAILY NEWS DIGEST