RI workers protest dismissal of colleagues

RI workers protest dismissal of colleagues

KUCHING: More than 1,000 Indonesian workers of a plywood factory in the Pending industrial area, Kuching, Malaysia staged a protest on Wednesday against the management's decision to fire seven of their colleagues.

The protest started at noon and about 50 policemen were sent to the factory to ensure no untoward incidents took place.

Kuching police officer OCPD ACP Rozin Yusuf was present at a meeting between representatives of the workers and the management.

An officer from the Indonesian consulate here, Syafli Rasoel, also came to the factory to negotiate with the workers.

Rozin said the management terminated the contracts of seven workers due to disciplinary problems.

"The other workers staged a protest to express their opposition to the decision and to show solidarity for their seven colleagues," he said.

Meanwhile, the Indonesian Consul-General's office has said that it would issue travel documents to illegal Indonesian immigrants to return home in response to the Malaysian government's amnesty program.

The office will work closely with the relevant authorities to ensure the immigrants do not have criminal records in Malaysia before issuing them the one-way travel documents, a spokesman said.

He said the immigrants had to submit their applications promptly for early passage to Indonesia before enforcement of the Immigration Act. -- Antara