PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) has called for investigations into disbursement of funds by the UN International Labour Organisation (ILO).
MTUC secretary-general J. Solomon (pix) said the International Labour Conference should look into the almost RM200 million allocated for workers in Malaysia through The Decent Work Country Programme – a five-year framework for cooperation between the ILO and national constituents.
The constituents here are the Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) for the employers, MTUC for workers and the Human Resources Ministry for the government.
Under the programme, the money would be given through six initiatives – one mainly for local workers and the remaining for migrant workers in Malaysia.
Solomon said some of the amount from the total project value was being channelled to non-governmental organisations (NGOs) without MTUC consent.
“The ILO constitution does not allow the funds to be expended without the approval of the constituents.”
Solomon said the ILO Bangkok office has not been transparent with MEF and MTUC on how the funds are being expended to the constituents in Malaysia.
MTUC has not given the approval to expend the funds to the NGOs, he pointed out.
“We are not objecting to it but what we are questioning is how the money is being expended to the NGOs without our authorisation.”
Solomon said MTUC has written to the ministry on this and even protested the matter.
“It appears that the ministry is also supporting the ILO on expending the funds (to NGOs),” he said.
He also slammed the findings of the ILO that stated public support for migrant workers in Malaysia was decreasing, and that this raised concerns about the risk of slavery.
“MTUC does not agree with the ILO (official) who has been involved in Malaysia to make such sweeping statements and painting everyone with the same brush,” he said.
“Malaysians are generally tolerant and generous to migrant workers as they recognise the contributions of such workers to the Malaysian economy.
“At the same time, Malaysians also realise that we cannot be overly dependent on migrant workers at all times as it will (affect) local workers’ wages and increase unemployment.”
He said MTUC, its affiliates and ordinary union members have always supported and helped migrant workers.
“MTUC has established three migrant resource centres in the north, south and central region to help migrant workers.
“We continue to help them. We take their problems and matters to the courts.
“The ILO person knows this and should have supported the good work of MTUC.
“With bare minimum resources provided by the ILO, we are continuing our efforts to protect the interests and welfare of migrant workers.”
According to ILO and UN Women, most people in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand have limited knowledge about increasingly negative attitudes towards migrant workers, and do not think they should receive the same benefits or pay as local workers.
Many are undocumented, meaning they are not only exempt from state benefits but at greater risk of being exploited or enslaved and less likely to speak out for fear of reprisals.
“While the research did not determine why attitudes towards migrant workers are declining, it does demonstrate that we are not successfully countering racism, xenophobia and hate,” ILO adviser Anna Engblom told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
