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