PSM candidate: Contract system that preys on B40 must be abolished

GE15 | The PSM candidate for Rembau, S Tinagaran, has expressed his determination to push for the abolition of the contract system in government bodies, which he says is currently preying on hundreds of thousands of low-income workers.

“I can give an undertaking that one of the issues that I will emphasise and bring to Parliament if I am given a mandate is that I will try to eliminate the contract system for all support services (such as cleaning and security control) in government premises,” said Tinagaran, who is better known as Cikgu Tina.

“I have been fighting for years to eliminate this unfair contract system for workers,” he told a press conference held in front of Rembau Hospital today.

Tingaran, a lawyer, has also handled many cases involving contract workers working in government buildings, including the problem of unpaid wages. 

“This contract system is very unfair to B40 workers. This matter should not continue any longer. We need to do something to stop this worker predation,” he said.

Also present at the press conference was former Sungai Siput MP Dr Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj, Government Contract Workers’ Network (JPKK) representative S Koyilvani, and PSM Workers’ Bureau head M Sivaranjani.

“JPKK does receive many phone calls from contract workers such as security guards and cleaning workers who work in hospitals or schools, who complain about their problems,” said Koyilvani. 

“Although they work in government buildings, they are hired by private contractors under the contract system, and some are even subcontracted.

“Although the government has announced the implementation of a minimum wage of RM1,500 across the country from May this year, until now there are still many workers hired under this type of contract system who have not been paid according to the minimum wage rate,” added Koyilvani.

Furthermore, she said, these workers have no job security.

“Although they have been working at the government building for a long time, they can be fired without any reason when the contract period for the contractor is over,” she said.

Jeyakumar, who is PSM national chairperson, added that contract workers had lost many of their rights.

“They don’t get annual salary increases, don’t get pensions when they retire, don’t get housing loans and so on. In addition, there are many contractors who do not pay salaries correctly, do not pay EPF contributions and so on. 

“That is why PSM fully supports the demand to reabsorb all contract workers in hospitals and schools as government employees,” he said.

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