Employers, let your staff have the day

IT has been brought to the attention of the Penang division of the MTUC (Malaysia Trades Union Congress) that some employers are attempting to circumvent the public holidays declared on Nov 18 and 19.

These employers are reportedly refusing to grant these days off by exercising their right to substitute holidays as indicated in the Employment Act: The employer may grant the employee any other day as a paid public holiday in substitution for any of the public holidays declared.

Despite this provision, it would be appropriate for employers to be guided by the underlying objective of declaring this Friday and Saturday a public holiday, which is to ensure that all workers have the opportunity to exercise their constitutional right to cast their votes on polling day.

Given the fact that a substantial number of employees work outside their home states, the public holiday on polling day eve, Nov 18, is obviously intended to facilitate travel arrangements to go back home. For that purpose, even our highways are to remain toll-free!

Any attempt by employers to substitute the two public holidays would only defeat the purpose of getting as many people to vote as possible.

Employers, we believe, have a duty to observe the said holidays as circumventing them, even legally, ought to be frowned upon as lacking a moral basis.

We therefore call upon the current caretaker government to, in no uncertain terms, direct all private sector employers to grant paid public holidays on Nov 18 and 19 to their workers without fail.

K. VEERIAH Secretary Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) Penang Division