Two protests in as many days have convinced officials of the Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) that workers from companies under Puncak Niaga Bhd are being used to derail a campaign against the water-privatisation exercise.

A group of 30 workers from Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Syabas) barged into Wisma MTUC in Subang Jaya today to submit a protest memorandum, carrying placards and a banner blasting the union umbrella body for 'attacking' them.

MTUC president Syed Shahir Syed Mohamud was midway through a press conference when the group, some in uniform and accompanied by a uniformed auxiliary police, appeared at the door before being herded into another meeting room.

When he went up to meet them after wrapping up the press conference, Syed Shahir appeared shocked to see a banner and hear slogans being shouted in the meeting room.

"Please leave this building now. You are not an affiliate. I refuse to accept it. We don't have to accept your memorandum. Just post it to our office," he was heard saying while ushering them out of the room.

"I cannot allow such a thing to happen. How can you come into our building and set up protest banners and shout slogans? Please leave immediately."

Mohamed Yazman Mohamed Noor, leader of the pro tem Selangor and Federal Territory Water Employees Association, said the members had decided to get organised on Jan 25.

"It's not a matter of whether or not we are affiliated. If the MTUC is not willing to meet us for a discussion, then it's too bad," he said.

Asked about any connection with KPPPuas Bhd - the employees' union of Perbadanan Urus Air Selangor Bhd (Puas) which became an MTUC affiliate about six months ago - he said the pro-tem group wanted to negotiate a different set of terms.

"We are not joining the affiliate union because they have different terms under the collective agreement."

Yesterday, over 100 members of KPPPuas Bhd had arrived at Wisma MTUC in two buses to hand over a memorandum demanding a public apology and expressing the intention to withdraw affiliation.

Why the secrecy?

During today's press conference, Syed Shahir reiterated the MTUC's opposition to the privatisation exercise.

This followed comments by secretary-general G Rajasekaran on Jan 24 the move was shrouded in secrecy and that Syabas was ripping off the public.

"There is nothing wrong is us voicing our views on this issue. Please don't divert attention away from the core issue by trying to focus on the 'fight' between us and an affiliate," Syed Shahir said.

"In fact, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has not responded to the memorandum we sent him on Jan 24. We're still waiting for his reply. The public wants to know what is in the concession agreement. Why should it be a secret?"

He said the onus was on Syabas - as the sole supplier of water in Selangor - to brief the public and the MTUC, which represents over 600,000 workers, on the status of the water privatisation programme.

"Instead of doing that, they are going around making childish statements, such as citing Rajasekaran's name 27 times in the memorandum by KPPPuas Bhd yesterday."

Rajasekaran, who joined the press conference later, said it was clear that the company was attempting to stifle calls for greater transparency.

"The workers are clearly being manipulated by the company and today's barging in by the pro-tem group only confirms that," he alleged.

"We have no fight with KPPPuas Bhd, but it is sad and disturbing to see workers being used by their employer in this way."

The issue of water privatisation has also raised concerns over steep tariff hikes and possible mismanagement of public funds.

Audited statement

Charles Santiago, co-ordinator for the Coalition Against Water Privatisation, a grouping of 26 non-governmental organisations, said that the MTUC was among the signatories of the anti-privatisation petition.

Defending the coalition, he said the material on which their objections were founded were gleaned from newspaper clippings and statements by public officials.

"We are not simply plucking things from the sky. We reading statements by Syabas and trying to make sense of what's going on."

"If Syabas (through their workers) is accusing of misleading the public, it is they who should be held responsible.

"The only way for Syabas to clear this matter is to publish an audited statement, especially the figures on non-revenue water," he said, noting that the terms in the concession agreement has not been made public.

The government's continued silence despite public concerns raised in the memorandums only served to further compound the secrecy, he added.