Some 1,000 workers from all over the country converged outside the Parliament building today to support their representatives who submitted a memorandum calling for better working conditions, including a RM900 minimum monthly wage.

And for all their trouble they were met by a group of impatient backbenchers led by BN Backbenchers Club (BBC) acting chairperson Raja Ahmad Zainuddin Raja Omar Raja Ahmad (BN-Larut) who wanted a quick briefing as they (the MPs) had 'more important matters' in the Dewan.

This caused some tension amongst the workers but in the end they did achieve what they had come for.

The workers, from 200 factories, started gathering from early morning, carrying placards and shouting slogans demanding for higher pay and fair treatment.

" Gaji naik " and " Kita mahu jumpa PM " was heard along the road leading to Parliament, where a sprinkling of police personnel had gathered.

Bread factory worker Mariam Mohd Ariffin from Ipoh related the ordeals she faced in trying to make ends meets for her family with her meagre income.

"My basic salary is only RM330. With overtime, I get RM2.50 an hour. We're only allowed to go to our panel clinic three times a year.

"Together with my husband, we earn only RM1,000. This is not enough for our family," lamented the mother of four.

Koyilvani Saminathan, a former plastics factory worker, said she had worked for 12 years until her employer 'sacked' her for allegedly being involved in union activities.

"Twelve years! They said I 'disobeyed orders' in forming the union and dismissed me! After 12 years!" she said.

Koyilvani and another former worker Rahimah Abu Mansor, who was allegedly dismissed for union activities by the same company, are currently locked in a legal tussle with their former employer.

'Busy' MPs

And then about an hour into the 10.30am protest, five parliamentarians led by Raja Ahmad Zainuddin met the workers and received their memorandum addressed to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

However, Raja Ahmad angered the representatives when he insisted for a quick briefing on their demands in order for the MPs to return to 'more important matters' in the Dewan Rakyat.

"You have already disturbed our affairs as it is," he said, enraging the representatives.

One of the representatives, Nathan Vellasamy was told to "show a little respect" to the MPs when he criticised them for their impatience.

Nathan then insisted that Raja Ahmad stamps his receipt of the memorandum and refused to shake his hands until he did so.

This irked another BN MP Badruddin Amiruldin, who criticised Nathan for displaying "poor leadership" traits.

"That's easy for you to say now that we've elected you into Parliament," the factory worker shot back.

The delegation later met with DAP parliamentarians led by M Kulasegaran, who promised to raise their demands in the Dewan Rakyat.

Significant protest

Met later, pro-tem Parti Sosialis Malaysia central committee member Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj said it was a significant protest.

"We showed the workers that it is their right, that they can protest peacefully and they have the freedom to ask for a larger share of the country's wealth.

"Regardless of whether they get their demands, we won this battle at least," he added.

The memorandum called on the prime minister to enact a legislation which provided for:

  • RM900 minimum wage

  • six percent annual increment and annual bonus equivalent to two-months pay

  • eight-hour work days of five days a week, including meal and prayer-times, maximum non-compulsory over-time of two hours

  • unemployment fund consisting of RM1 monthly from employers and 50 sen from workers;

  • 90-day maternity leave, seven-day leave for fathers or guardians

  • formation of unions for workers in the electronics industry, compulsory formation of unions at every factory, cancellation of the requirement for a company to recognise a union before it can be registered and other loosening of regulations to allow for the formation of unions.