18 former DRB-Hicom employees cry foul over dismissal (Star) - 11 September 2013

Piket di hadapan Wisma DRB Hicom

Piket di Pejabat Perdana Menteri di Putrajaya

18 former DRB-Hicom employees cry foul over dismissal

PUTRAJAYA: Eighteen former employees of a government-linked company have alleged that they were dismissed from their jobs after submitting a memorandum to a politician in the run-up to GE13.

According to National Union of Transport Equipment and Allied Industries Workers (NUTEAIW) president, Mohd Yusof Hamidi, the employment of 18 of its members were terminated on Aug 19, after being suspended from work for 85 days following a domestic inquiry. 

Mohd Yusof said the 18 workers, formerly employed at DRB-Hicom’s automotive subsidiaries at Pekan, Pahang, were involved in submitting a Malaysian Trades Union Congress demand for union rights and benefits to PKR candidate Fariz Musa on May 3 in Pekan. 

Fariz stood against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak for the Pekan parliamentary seat. 

"The charges levied against our members were (that they had undermined) the good name of the company and (attempted to) bring about any form of influence or outside pressure to support any claim that is related to service, be it an individual claim or claims of the employees.

"The employers allegedly were of the position that the participation and action of the 18 members was contrary to the interest of the company, and giving a false impression that the company was involved in politics," said Mohd Yusof in a memorandum which was submitted to Najib’s office here Wednesday.

The workers had gathered outside the Prime Minister’s Office Complex, bearing banners seeking Najib’s help to be reinstated to their former positions.

Meanwhile, DRB-Hicom Berhad maintains that the dismissal were in accordance with the relevant employment and industrial law of Malaysia.

"The disciplinary action taken against these workers was conducted in accordance with all applicable laws and company policies in relation to breaches of the company’s terms and conditions of service arising from the unauthorised representation of the company which were recorded, and subsequently uploaded online for public viewing. 

"It was not for exercising their political rights as alleged by the said workers or parties that claim to be representing them," the company said in a statement to The Star. - Star, 11/9/2013, 18 former DRB-Hicom employees cry foul over dismissal