Friday, June 6, 2008

A CALL TO BN LEADERS TO STOP PRIVATIZING THE GENERAL WORKERS IN THE SCHOOLS

Bad policies are results of bad heads that are affecting the people and putting the country in an unnecessary dire economic hardship. The privatization of the general workers (pembersihan) and the security guards (Jaga) in the schools is utterly a waste of public fund which is meant to provide wealth to certain individuals and political leaders at the expense of public funds and most needed development. Billions of ringgit is drain off to implement this wasteful project which could be used for a more needed projects or programs like upgrading basic infrastructures like school buildings and roads. If we could build a permanent concrete building we can avoid recurring provision of upgrading dilapidated building every now and then which is actually more costly. Towards vision 2020, we anticipate first class mental and physical development in line with our vision to make Malaysia a centre of education excellence of world class standard by the year 2020. The trend is far from a dream come true but a sure nightmare to be witness by our future generations on the 1st January 2020!

What is the purpose of privatization? Is it practical to those organizations with only two staff where the boss is so far away in KK or KL who uses remote control and occasionally comes to the school at the end of the month to ask for signature from the principal to enable him to claim the money? Imagine, these contractors come to see the principal and say, "ok kah dorang kerja? Tolong tengok-tengok dan kasih tau saya nanti saya marah dorang. Itu minyak sekejap saja habis, saya suruh dia beli dulu nanti habis bulan saya bayar." They enslaved the principals and expect us to look after their workers. We have learned that every contractor is granted certain numbers of schools to undertake this project which amount to hundred of thousand a month which sum up to million all over the country every month. Hundreds of poor workers are paid a meager income an average of RM300 per month, whereas a handful of contractors are receiving a blind income of RM12,000 to RM20,000 a month for doing nothing!

Firstly, privatization may work in an organization like the hospital with few hundred staff but it is impractical to privatize an organization with only 2 staff where the boss is far away from the premise. The concept of privatization is to enable the contractors to monitor their workers at all times to ensure maximum performance. But how can they manage their workers if there are so many schools to look after? As a result, these contractors neglected the schools workers sometimes going without pay, insurance and EPF. The condition of the school has gone from bad to worst since the workers are left without supply of oil and tools to keep the school compound manageable.

What can the school management do to help the workers who depended so much on their meager income to support their family? They have totally no future because when their contract expire these workers will be terminated. Is it not better to put the general workers as subordinates under the management of the school rather than asking someone to take care of the school which rightly belongs to the school management? Asking someone to look after the school management, not only create unnecessary problem but create conflict of interest between the contractor and the school management. It was proposed that these general workers be put under the school management and given better remunerations and absorbed in the pensionable scheme. I believe that with earnest commitment to help the poor general workers, a caring scheme can be arranged to ease the poverty-stricken workers .

Hundreds of these general workers are suffering in silence despite of their responsibilities to look after the cleanliness and security of the school but nothing is done to look after the welfare of these lowly paid workers. The security guards are working 12 hours a day contrary to the provision under the Employment Act 1955 which allows workers 8 working hours a day. It is obvious that the welfare of the contractors is more important than the general workers who are manipulated by political leaders for personal gain.

Attempts were made to forward this unnecessary project to the authority concern but monetary gain prevailed at the expense of public fund and the general workers suffer in silence. This issue was brought forward in meetings a few times with tremendous vote of no confidence to the project but to no avail. The exposure of these bad policies which is affecting the welfare and development of our country should be considered a constructive collective obligation for the betterment of our nation and should not be construed as an anti-government endeavor.

This is a call to BN leaders to think and amend purported and ridiculous policies which could be improved with alternative policies of a more dynamic orientation. This is just one classic examples of abused public fund that is happening which impedes the most needed development. We will expose the other stupid policies which are putting our nation at loss at the expense of public fund. This is done with deep realization and responsibilities in pursuit of the truth and justice in order to realize our vision, mission and goal.

Damian Marcus Podtung
CASH Chairman
Tambunan

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