Call for cohesive, united voice to represent Sabah employers
KOTA KINABALU: Mounting employment-related challenges has warranted a cohesive and united voice to represent employers in Sabah.
Timber Association of Sabah (TAS), during a courtesy call by Sabah Employers Association (SEA) President and Council Members on March 16, has echoed similar sentiments on the need for a united strong representation and expressed its intention to join SEA. These were conveyed by TAS President Datuk Andrew Tham Chee Nam.
SEA President Yap Cheen Boon said that SEA evolved, in part, due to lack of voice for Sabah employers in the past as Federal authorities on employment-related policy matters only recognized the voice of major employers platform.
For the coming minimum wage review, expected to be in June/July, Yap had called for maintaining minimum wage status quo for Sabah of RM920.
He conveyed this stance during a focus group discussion on Minimum Wage 2016 Review organized by the Ministry of Human Resources, Malaysia last January 25.
SEA maintains close rapport with the relevant Sabah state ministries and agencies such as Ministry of Resource Development and Information Technology, Labour Department and Social Security Orgsnisation.
Besides, SEA also believes in working in partnership with local unions as the way to go, to forge greater industrial harmony within the Sabah employment scene.
Yap urges more Sabah trade associations and companies to join SEA to lend it a bigger voice for Sabah employers.
To date associations that have joined SEA are Federation of Sabah Industries, Sabah Timber Industries Association, Sabah Housing and Real Estate Developers Association, Sabah Omnibus Operators Association, Kota Kinabalu Hardware, Machinery & Building Materials Association (Sabah), Kota Kinabalu Forwarding Agents Association and Sabah Furniture Association, covering over 700 member companies respectively.
SEA will be conducting its second annual general meeting on April 25.