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Abdullah should give workers good news when he attends Saturday’s Workers’ Day gathering in Bukit Jalil on the government’s  positive response to the MTUC’s general election manifesto and  its long-standing grievance on the pile-up of 6,000 cases jammed in the office of  Fong Chan Onn and not referred to Industrial Court Media Conference Statement (2) by Lim Kit Siang (Penang, Tuesday): The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi should give workers good news when he attends Saturday’s Workers’ Day gathering in Bukit Jalil on the government’s  positive response to the MTUC’s general election manifesto and  its long-standing grievance on the pile-up of 6,000 cases jammed in the office of  the Human Resources Minister, Datuk Dr.  Fong Chan Onn and not referred to  the Industrial Court.  During the recent general election in March, MTUC came out with a general election manifesfo on issues which concerned the workers,  chief among which include:  Proposed merger of EPF and SOCSO and all gains utilized to grant enhanced benefits to contributors; Fifty percent worker representation on the Boards of EPF and SOCSO; EPF Act  amended to provide a minimum dividend of 8% per annum; SOCSO Act amended to provide full payment for employees who are temporarily or permanently unfit for work and provide 24 hour coverage against accident risks; and Minimum monthly salary of RM900 for all sectors including plantation sector. Abdullah should in particular focus on a  very blatant and flagrant  case of industrial injustice caused by the insensitivity, inefficiency and  irresponsibility of  Fong Chan Onn in accumulating an unbelievable backlog of 6,000 cases of industrial disputes, mostly dismissals, jammed in his office and awaiting his decision to refer them to the Industrial Court.   A few days ago, the MTUC Financial Secretary, A. Sivanathan told me of a shocking case involving the dismissal of a Malay driver in a bus company, which Fong took six long years to refer to the Industrial Court.  The worker  was dismissed in January 1998 and Fong only referred his case to the Industrial Court  six years later in January 2004.   When the case is finally heard by the Industrial Court,  and if the Industrial Court’s decision is challenged  all the way to the High Court and Court of Appeal, it may be a full ten years before this case is finally disposed of.  Is this the speedy industrial justice that Parliament had envisioned when it established the Industrial Court to obviate the infamous delays of the courts to dispense quick industrial justice? Can Fong explain why he had been sleeping on his Ministerial duties  as to pile up  6,000 outstanding cases, mostly dismissals,  awaiting his decision to refer them to the Industrial Court. As “Justice Delayed is Justice Denied”, Abdullah should give his personal attention to resolve this manifest and blatant industrial justice committed none other than by his own Cabinet Minister in charge of Human Resources – with the workers the victims.  (4/5/2004) * Lim Kit Siang, DAP National Chairman & Member of Parliament for Ipoh Timor