Former MP and Suaram director Kua Kia Soong has questioned whether DAP’s stance on social justice and equality has changed after the party’s national adviser Lim Guan Eng made remarks opposing the minimum wage and EPF contributions for migrant workers.
Kua said the party, which has long styled itself as “the conscience of Malaysian politics”, risks appearing like a “hollow vessel” when it comes to defending labour rights.
He also took aim at DAP’s youth wing for remaining silent on the matter.
“What is the point of maintaining a wing called ‘DAP Socialist Youth’ (DAPSY) if its members remain silent while the party publicly defends wage discrimination and violates international labour norms?” he asked in a statement today.
“If DAPSY cannot even take a principled stand when one of its senior leaders calls for lower wages for migrants and effectively codifies inequality into law, then it must answer a simple question: What exactly do you exist for?”
While debating the 13th Malaysia Plan in Parliament this week, Lim said there was “no need to mandate the RM1,700 minimum wage and 2% EPF contributions for migrant workers” already in the workforce.
Lim pointed to Singapore’s policy of not requiring Central Provident Fund contributions for migrant workers since 2003 without repercussions from the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
The former finance minister also said that Malaysia was not bound by any United Nations or ILO conventions.
But Kua said this ignores the fact that Malaysia is an ILO member and has worked for years to align with its standards.
“Never mind that ILO Convention 100 mandates equal pay for equal work, or that Convention 111 prohibits discrimination based on national origin, or that Convention 143 insists on equal treatment of migrants in wages and working conditions,” he added.
