The National Union of Plantation Workers has rejected the idea of a nation-wide strike proposed by estate workers over the minimum wage issue since the matter will soon be heard in the Industrial Court.

NUPW secretary-general G Sankaran told malaysiakini today the strike was unlikely and whatever has been proposed by the group yesterday in a memorandum will be discussed at the union's central committee meeting next month.

"The strike is unlikely to happen. The matter is already with the Industrial Court, we have to wait and see what happens then,"he said.

He said that the dispute over the wage issue will be heard in the Industrial Court on Feb 8 and 16.

The central committee meets only once in four months but until then, no action can be taken, he added.

Yesterday, The Sun reported that representatives from the Plantation Workers' Support Group had handed over a memorandum to NUPW.

The memorandum indicated the group's unhappiness that the minimum wage issue had been referred to the Industrial Court before Universiti Malaya could complete its study on the matter.

It (memorandum) also suggested a secret ballot to find out members' stand on the matter and a nation-wide strike as a sign of protest.

Ministry still negotiating

Malaysiakini was unable to reach Human Resources Minister Dr Fong Chan Onn for comment.

However, his senior confidential secretary Tiew Hai San commented that the issue was "a sensitive matter".

"The minister is still negotiating with the parties concerned and will come out with a report soon," was the reply.

How soon, Tiew could not say, and Fong is off to Tapah this afternoon.

Earlier, a "radical" group of workers had lodged a police report at the Brickfields police station against the Human Resources Ministry.

Their action angered MIC president S Samy Vellu who remarked that it would disrupt negotiations with the ministry. He admitted that the issue had been a problem for about 50 years, around the same time that the Malaysian Trades Union Congress was formed.

He said during the 54th MIC Annual General Meeting held in July in the presence of Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad that he was confident that the government would resolve the issue.

Mahathir indicated his support when he said that the cabinet had agreed in principle to the minimum wage and the only snag then was to decide on the quantum of payment.

MTUC had proposed a minimum wage of RM1,200 but this was rejected by the cabinet. RM900 was then proposed as the most practical quantum, taking into account the cost of living and inflation rate of the country.

In September, Fong said that his ministry will come up with a proposal following a study to be conducted by economics lecturers from UM.

Certain quarters expressed doubts about the reliability of the study since it was funded by the Malaysian Agricultural Producers Association, which was said to be unable to represent the interest of estate workers.

Fong quashed these doubts by saying that NUPW was also part of the study, though it had no funds to support it.

Long wait

Meanwhile, MTUC secretary-general G Rajasekaran said that the estate workers' desire to stage a strike is understandable.

"No one can blame them for it especially after having waited patiently for so long, almost 50 years.

"Before workers decide on such a drastic action they would have considered other options first. But when there is no other avenue, they would choose to be more pro-active," he said.

Rajasegaran said that although he knew Fong was doing his best, the ministry had to decide once and for all the policy regarding monthly wages for workers.

He said he did not understand why it was so difficult for the government to make a stand when workers in other sectors can be given bonuses and other benefits.