A group of security guards from 10 schools around Hulu Langat has urged the Human Resources Ministry to help them claim their outstanding wages from a company appointed by the Education Ministry.

PSM leader S Arutchelvan said it was emphasised during the group's meeting with a representative from the Human Resources Ministry, Peter Dennis, that this was a case where a government-appointed contractor has allegedly been withholding full wages due to the security guards.

"This is a case of the contractor withholding payments due to the workers. Not only their minimum wage but also EPF and Socso contributions.

"There should be no excuse because the salaries paid to the guards through the contractor comes from the Education Ministry's budget," Arutchelvan told reporters after accompanying the security guards to attend the meeting.

While noting that the Human Resources Ministry had acknowledged the group's concerns, Arutchelvan however said they were told that only the Education Ministry has powers to withhold payments made to the contractor.

"We are saying that the Human Resources Ministry cannot just wash its hands off the problem.

"The main issue is that how can a government-appointed contractor be allowed to get away with not fulfilling its responsibilities to the workers?" he said.

He noted that there are also several pending cases at the Labour Court because the contractor has allegedly refused to attend any proceedings.

"They (the guards) are employed by a contractor of the Education Ministry.

"The workers had gone through the proper channels to resolve their plight but it seems that the Education Ministry-appointed contractor has no respect for the Human Resources Ministry," Arutchelvan said.

The group's demands were also recorded in a memorandum submitted to the Human Resources Ministry in Putrajaya during the meeting today.

Among their demands is for the company to settle their allegedly outstanding minimum wage, since the requirement came into force in January 2013.

The minimum wage has been set at RM900 and the guards said they were previously paid a basic salary of around RM500.

In their memorandum, it was also stated that the affected workers had lodged a complaint with the Hulu Langat district education department in August.

Arutchelvan said he was told by the security guards that the Education Ministry, through the Hulu Langat district education department, had said all their outstanding wages were already paid to the contractor.

In October, they had also lodged a police report against the contractor over the same issue.

Worried contractor will get away

Their spokesperson, Mohd Zin Yunus, said that the workers are worried the contractor will get away with not paying their outstanding wages when its contract with the Education Ministry ends in January next year.

"I want to make sure that the whole of our pay is paid to us," he said, adding that they have continued to carry out their duties guarding schools, despite being mistreated by the company.

Mohd Zin, who said he started working with the company in September last year, also claimed that the company has failed to pay overtime and make EPF and Socso contributions.

The company was appointed by the Education Ministry in January 2013 and the group comprises 33 security guards who are still in employment until today.

Malaysiakini has contacted the contractor and is withholding its name pending an official response.