HR Ministry warns bosses to pay employees' salaries on time

KOTA KINABALU - Deputy Human Resources Minister Mustapa Sakmud warns employers to always ensure that their employees' salaries are being paid on time according to the terms of employment.

Mustapa also reminded employers to fully understand the provisions under the Sabah Labour Ordinance that have been set.

"I am giving a warning to employers to ensure salaries are paid according to the agreement between them and their employees.

"I am also warning employers in Sabah to read and understand the Sabah Labour Ordinance as we will take action against any employers who fail to pay salaries according to the Labour Act," he told reporters after attending an iftar ceremony with the Kampung Darau residents at the Al-Munir Mosque, Kampung Darau, here, yesterday.

He said this when asked about the action taken by the minsitry over a rioting incident involving a group of construction workers who were dissatisfied with the late salary payment by a foreign company in Kota Kinabalu.

Commenting further, he said the ministry received reports regarding the incident and actions have been taken through the Sabah Labour Department.

"The issue is related to the late salary payment of the workers in March in which the employer had agreed that the payment shall be made on the first week of each month involving 600 workers totalling RM3.8 million.

"There was a delay in the salary payment from March until now and the workers are dissatisfied causing a fight and an incident where the workers had hit their employer.

"After the incident, a discussion was held between the employees' representative as well as the employer where the latter agreed to pay their salary on April 17 and 18.

"To ensure that the payment was made, the Labour Department officer will be at the construction site and listen to the employees' complaints if the payments still came in late," he said.

The ministry was ready to receive any complaints from the workers as there may be employees who did not receive their salary the previous month," he said.

Mustapa advised employees not to act beyond the law as it would affect them.

"A police report was lodged and investigations will be carried out over the incident. I ask for employees to act according to the law to avoid getting into trouble," he said.

Yesterday, Sinar Harian reported that a video showing a South Korean construction project director being beaten up by a group of workers at a construction site, here, went viral on social media.

The incident caused the 53-year-old victim to suffer bruises and swelling in several parts of his body.