Former MTUC Sec-Gen seeks to "save" MTUC

SHAH ALAM – Former Secretary General of Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) urges the individuals involved in the spat to save the union while it still has a chance.

J Solomon said the results of the electing which part of the MTUC’s triennial delegates conference was legally challenged by 12 affiliates.

Apart from that, a general council meeting held on August 7 was fraught with irregularities, he claimed.

“Apart from the obvious irregularities and incompetence, the total disregard of the affiliates is startling.

“If the MTUC cannot abide by its own Constitution, how can we possibly ask and demand for employers and the government to abide by the rule of good law?” he questioned.

Solomon, who is also the National Union of Bank Employee (NUBE) Secretary General said being able to garner a majority of votes during the General Council meeting on a matter which was unconstitutional does not make it legal or right as it was ruled by the mob.

“Let us remember that as leaders, we have to be answerable to our members and to the larger Malaysian workforce.

“We have to unite to save MTUC from total ruin,” he stressed.

He said as the MTUC experienced a fast decline, the impact would be felt by the workers of the country, where an already disadvantaged workforce would be further undermined through lack of proper representation.

“The MTUC has through the decades, and despite whatever criticism that has been levelled against it, always functioned as a democratic institution.

“Leadership tussles were fierce, partisan and at times hostile. Despite all of this, the leaders and affiliated unions always came together to represent workers’ interests,” he said.

On the Prime Minister’s promise to allocate RM4 million to MTUC and appoint the union leaders as Board Members of Government Linked Companies, Solomon said that to work with the government was fine but to sell out the independence of MTUC to any government was unacceptable and corrupt.