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Thursday February 19, 2004

Timor Leste offers to supply workers

KUALA LUMPUR: Timor Leste is the latest country offering to supply workers to meet Malaysia's manpower needs.

Its state management minister Ana Pessoa Pinto called on Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr Fong Chan Onn yesterday to convey the offer.

Dr Fong, who met Pinto at the Socso headquarters, said Timor Leste had offered to supply workers for the agriculture industry.

“The minister discussed the offer with the ministry officials to discuss the possibility of formulating an MoU for their workers to come here,” said Dr Fong

He added that the Government would look into the offer as well as study the feasibility of acquiring the workers for the agriculture sector.

On another matter, Dr Fong said he was scheduled to meet members of the troubled National Union of Bank Employees (NUBE) on Friday.

The union has been torn apart in recent years due to aninternal crisis created by two factions battling for control of the union.

Dr Fong would be meeting 20 ordinary members elected recently to oversee the NUBE's impending elections of new office bearers.

Dr Fong said hoped that NUBE's troubles would end soon.

“I personally appeal to both parties to accept any reasonable approach put forward to settle the issue,” he added.

Meanwhile, MTUC president Senator Zainal Rampak also called on Dr Fong ­ minutes before the minister's meeting with his Timor Leste counterpart.

Zainal, accompanied by several leaders from the rubber products workers union, met the minister over the alleged dismissal of two unionists by their company.

“I think there has been a misunderstanding and I will talk to the company about it,” Dr Fong said.

He that he had also discussed with Zainal about issues that would be raised and discussed at the National Labour Advisory Council meeting next week.

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