By Yasmin Ramlan
KUALA LUMPUR, July 22 — Human Resources Minister Steven Sim Chee Keong described recent allegations of illegal salary deductions involving bus drivers serving the Johor Bahru-Singapore route as unacceptable, and warned employers not to go against labour laws.
Citing Section 19(1) of the Employment Act 1955, which requires timely wage payment and proper statutory deductions, Sim said the ministry has acted immediately upon receiving reports of a protest by some 100 cross-border bus drivers yesterday, with officers monitoring the situation on-site.
“When I read the news about the demonstration by bus drivers in Johor, it is unacceptable if the allegation of illegal salary deduction is true,” he said in his opening remarks at the launch of the World Bank’s Inclusive Employment Practices Survey report at Asia School of Business here today.
“In fact, I would like to issue a warning to this particular company and others that acted similarly — do not take the Employment Act lightly. We will not compromise on this.
“This is not the first time this company has had issues. A week or two ago, we conducted an operation and found them in violation of the Employment Act.
“We have initiated an investigation against them. So, don't mess around with workers right in this country,” he said.
Yesterday, about 100 bus drivers went on strike, leading to thousands of Malaysian workers commuting to Singapore temporarily stranded at the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar Customs and Immigration Complex in Johor.
They resumed duty this morning after the company agreed to reinstate their previous salary structure, ending the one-day strike.
The drivers' protest was reportedly triggered by a recent wage restructuring by the bus company, which slashed their monthly take-home pay from around RM2,800 to below RM2,000, despite rising living costs.
