KUCHING: The tripartite or three-pronged approach involving close collaboration between the government, employers and workers is seen as an important element in driving the development of the workforce and economy of Sarawak as a whole.
Sarawak Premier, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri (Dr) Abang Abdul Rahman Zohari Tun Datuk Abang Openg stressed that the strength of the relationship between these three parties will ensure balanced and sustainable progress in the region.
"If the three aspects are correct, for our country and our state to progress, then there must be connectivity between the three parties, namely workers, employers, and the government, working as a team, like Ngap Sayot.
"And the spirit of Ngap Sayot is what should lift the development in the state of Sarawak," he said in a speech in conjunction with the Sarawak Level Labour's Day Celebration at Hikmah Exchange, here on Sunday.
He added that Sarawak has a special status in the labor legal system through the Sarawak Labor Ordinance (SLO) which came into existence as a result of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), in addition to the Labour Act at the federal level.
"Sometimes, we must carefully examine the details of this law, especially the SLO because we must defend the rights of Sarawak workers under the ordinance. If we just hand it over, some of our rights may be eroded," he explained.
He also stressed the importance of adapting local labour laws to international standards set by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), without ignoring the uniqueness of Sarawak's legislation.
In a press conference afterwards, he announced that the work permit application process for foreign workers in Sarawak had been significantly accelerated through the implementation of the Immigration and Labour Management Unit (ILMU) system, in line with the use of digital technology and data sharing between government agencies.
"Previously, the application process usually took around 190 days, or up to 8 months.
"However, this time, we have managed to reduce the period to 60 days, and we aim to reduce it further to 30 days," he said.
A robust three-pronged approach and the efficiency of the labour management system are expected to continue to support Sarawak's development agenda as a developed and inclusive region.
Also present were Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Prof Dr Sim Kui Hian, Sarawak Secretary Datuk Amar Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki, Deputy Minister in the Sarawak Premier's Department (Labour, Immigration and Project Monitoring) Datuk Gerawat Gala, a line-up of Sarawak Deputy Ministers, Sarawak Attorney-General Dato Sri Saferi Ali, Sarawak Federal Secretary Dato Ahmad Nadzri Mohd Hassan, Deputy Sarawak Secretary (Economic Planning and Development) Dato Sri Dr Muhammad Abdullah Zaidel, Deputy Sarawak Secretary (Administration) Datu Buckland Bangik, heads of departments and other dignitaries. -UKASnews
