HR Ministry preparing to face challenges

KUALA LUMPUR: The Human Resources Ministry is conducting a holistic review of the Employment Act, Industrial Relations Act and Trade Unions Act.

This is so employers and employees can meet the coming challenges from the establishment of the Asean Economic Community (AEC) and Asean Integrated Market by 2020, said its minister Datuk Seri Richard Riot Jaem.

“A system of modernised labour legislations should be formulated in a way that provides efficient employment protection for workers without compromising the flexibility and competitiveness sought by enterprises.”

He said this in his keynote address “Asean Integrated Market and Its Impact On Labour, Employment And Industrial Law” at the two-day Labour Law Conference organised by Legal Plus Sdn Bhd last week.

Riot said the review ranged from regulating emerging employment relationships to facilitating efficiency of doing business.

“Among other things, we are studying ways to improve coverage and protection, expedite resolution of trade disputes and claim for unfair dismissal as well as to strengthen enforcement activities.

“As a global trading nation, our labour laws’ adherence to international conventions, standards and instruments are also taken into consideration,” he said.

The impact of the AEC on the labour market is likely to be minimal since its labour chapter is confined to the mobility of skilled labour but Riot said it would “have a significant impact on the structure of occupation and future employment creation in Malaysia”.

While there would be a wider variety of employment contracts, he said non-standard employment was a particular concern in relation to determining the scope of an employment relationship.

He said a lack of labour protection would affect workers and also employers, to the extent that it undermined productivity.

He urged the conference participants to send their input to Public Engagement (Holistic Review of Labour Legislation) on the ministry’s website (http://www.mohr.gov.my)