CJ leads 200 staffers in Court Complex clean-up
> Premises became filthy after cleaners went on strike
PETALING JAYA: Over 200 personnel of the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex came together to clean it yesterday as it was not cleaned for 20 days by cleaners who went on strike over unpaid wages.
Toilets at the complex had gone unwashed, floors unswept and rubbish uncollected, which made it unpleasant for lawyers, judges and court staff to work.
The personnel, which included administrative staff, court officials, nine judges, Chief Justice Tan Sri Richard Malanjum and Chief Judge of Malaya Tan Sri Zaharah Ibrahim came together to give the complex a good scrub.
Focussing on 14 areas of the complex, they quickly went to work on cleaning all eight floors at about 10am and finished just after noon.
They rolled up their sleeves to clean the toilets, sweep and mop the floors and corridors, empty the rubbish bins and pails, and wipe all the windows and glass doors.
A lawyer who did not want to be named told theSun that conditions in the court were bad since the workers went on strike.
“We spend a lot of time in the court complex daily and clean toilets are important. Of late the toilets were very dirty, there was a foul stench as it had not been cleaned for a long time. There was also rubbish which sent out a bad message to those who come to court.”
The 20 cleaners had refused to continue their services after alleging they had not been paid for their regular wages.
Court staff, including members of the judiciary, have been forced to clean their own facilities such as restrooms.
The cleaners began their strike during Ramadan. They resumed work after being paid their wages shortly before Aidilfitri. However, they went on strike again after not receiving their pay after that.
The Kuala Lumpur Courts Complex is home to High Courts, sessions and magistrate’s courts.