The refusal of Parliament Speaker to adjourn the sitting today to discuss the picket organised by the Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) has been described as "unreasonable" by M Kula Segaran (DAP-Ipoh Barat).

He said the motion to discuss the picket was urgent and of public importance as the problems faced by the labour movement in the country have not been resolved for a long time.

The MTUC, with over 100 affiliated trade unions, today conducted an hour-long picket nationwide involving some 20,000 members at 11 strategic locations in the Klang Valley, Johor, Penang, Malacca, Sabah and Sarawak starting at 5pm.

Kula, who is also DAP national vice-chairperson, said the four reasons given by the speaker were unacceptable.

Among them were that the human resources minister has had various dialogues with MTUC on the issues raised by the unions and that the ministry was already formulating various labour related laws which will address matters raised by MTUC.

"On the issues of unfair dismissal of workers, the minister has set up a task force which has settled 6000 back log cases at the industrial relations office," the speaker explained.

Regrettable

Kula said the DAP motion was submitted to the speaker on Sept 24 but was rejected three days later.

"This is regrettable as the speaker should not have depended on the minister's assertion alone," he said.

"If the motion is allowed, the minister can also explain why MTUC is still picketing despite all the 'assurances' given to them by the government," he said.

Kula said he also raised the matter again with the deputy speaker today but it was also in vain.

"A good opportunity for the minister to be made accountable to the house and the country has been lost by the refusal to debate the motion which is of public importance," the DAP leader said.