UNI Affiliates Convene National Conference to Advance Occupational, Safety and Health as a Fundamental Right in Malaysia

The UNI Malaysian Liaison Committee (MLC), together with PERKESO, Malaysia’s statutory Social Security Organization, and the UNI Asia & Pacific Regional Organization (UNI Apro), jointly organized a national occupational, safety and health (OSH) conference on 23 May in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to promote a safe and healthy work environment as a fundamental right.

The conference was officially inaugurated by Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, the former National Institute of Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH) Chairman and a well-known figure and champion of OSH within Malaysia and ASEAN.

UNI Malaysian Liaison Committee President Datuk Mohamed Shafie BP Mammal thanked all the participants and guests for their strong support and expressed hope that they will be motivated by the national conference to remain positive on the issue of OSH in the workplace.

He urged all union leaders to ensure that the unions engage the employers every quarter on OSH issues in the workplace and that relevant clauses are incorporated into the collective agreements. 

He also especially thanked PERKESO for its strong support for the conference. PERKESO plays a vital role in Malaysia in promoting awareness of OSH. It was first established in 1971 as a government department under the Ministry of Human Resources to administer, implement and enforce the Employees’ Social Security Act 1969 and the Employees’ Social Security (General) Regulations 1971 before having its status elevated to a Statutory Body in 1985.

UNI Apro Regional Secretary Rajendra Acharya lauded the UNI MLC and PERKESO for organizing this OSH Conference in Kuala Lumpur, which was well-attended by 100 union leaders coming from 30 unions, all affiliated with the UNI MLC.  

He said,

“The timing of this conference is very appropriate just after the Covid-19 pandemic. We have learnt many things during this period, including the importance of a safe and healthy work environment for workers.”