MTUC Sabah welcomes landmark state labour law amendments

KOTA KINABALU: The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) Sabah hopes the newly passed Sabah Labour Ordinance (Amendment) Bill 2024 will be swiftly approved in the Dewan Negara and implemented without delay.

This is only the second time the ordinance has been amended since its introduction in 1965, with the last being in 2005.

Describing it as a gift to some two million workers, MTUC Sabah chairman Mohd Airy Arin said the Bill, which was unanimously approved in the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday (Oct 15), is a major step towards improving working conditions across the state.

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MTUC Sabah also described these reforms as beneficial to women in the workforce, providing much-needed protection and work-life balance improvements.

Key amendments include reducing the work week from 48 to 45 hours, increasing maternity leave from 60 to 98 days, introducing seven days of paternity leave, and implementing flexible working arrangements.

The Bill also introduces stricter penalties for breaches, with fines increasing from RM10,000 to RM50,000, and includes essential measures to ban workplace discrimination, forced labour, and sexual harassment.

“This legislation will not only safeguard workers' rights but also ensure women in the workplace are better protected,” Mohd Airy said in a statement on Wednesday (Oct 16).

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He stressed that MTUC Sabah remains optimistic about the reforms' positive impact on workers' welfare and Sabah's image among international investors.

He also commended Human Resources Minister Steven Sim for securing unanimous support for the Bill in Parliament and expressed gratitude to the Sabah government, led by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, the Sabah Labour Department, and other organisations that played a role in pushing the amendments forward.

“The Bill marks a pivotal moment in raising the dignity of workers while aligning employment standards with current needs,” he said.

During the Dewan Rakyat sitting, Sim said the amendment showed the government's commitment to ensuring equal rights and protection for workers in Sabah with those in Peninsular Malaysia.

"In addition to raising the dignity of workers, this amendment aligns Sabah’s labour standards with international norms," Sim said, adding it was important to implement the changes speedily to improve working conditions.

He also said the amendment was the result of more than a dozen engagement sessions between the Federal and Sabah governments, as well as discussions with workers' representatives and labour unions.

These discussions were in line with issues raised during the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) meetings.

"We will give special attention to uplifting the dignity and honour of workers in Sabah," the minister said.