Kota Kinabalu: Effective mediation between locals and foreign employers in the workplace is key to keeping Sabah a foreign direct investment-friendly state, said State Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship Minister Datuk Phoong Jin Zhe.
He was referring to a brawl that broke out at SBH Kibing Solar New Materials Sdn Bhd’s manufacturing centre in the Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park (KKIP) on Monday which had gone viral on social media.
Phoong said nine people, including four China nationals, have been arrested for questioning while investigations are still ongoing.
“The incident is unwanted and uncalled for because it can potentially harm our efforts in attracting investments as figures are performing well.
SPONSORED CONTENT Sabah's Mengalum for world’s first net zero carbon island resort Taiwan’s Sinyi Group is on track to unveil the world’s first unique net zero carbon island resort on Mengalum Island. . Read more “A different working culture could have been the cause of stress. However, I can guarantee that the misunderstanding did not come from workers’ rights abuse.
“We will not compromise on worker’s rights. In fact, the local workers arrested are earning above average wages and are paid on time,” he told a press conference, Tuesday.
“An internal meeting has been called and the general manager has given assurance that Kibing would be extra careful in mediating workers in terms of race, culture and so on,” he added.
He reminded Sabahans not to hold negative impressions on foreign investors as they are needed in the State’s journey towards industrialisation.
In April last year, a brawl had broken out at Korea’s SK Nexilis’s plant, also in the KKIP, involving subcontractors.
Employees were upset that their on-time salary would be late for Hari Raya in two weeks. The problem was resolved in a week.
Police, meanwhile, disclosed that the 5.30pm incident erupted when a China national brushed shoulders with a local worker when they were clocking out.
City Police Chief ACP Mohd Zaidi Abdullah said the Chinese man began shouting and pointing fingers at the local man, even inviting him to fight while holding a stick.
“The local man ignored this but got punched from behind as he was exiting the factory.
“It got chaotic when more individuals from both sides joined in the brawl which was soon stopped by security guards and other factory workers,” he said in a statement.
Mohd Zaidi said all suspects were arrested at 3.30am on Tuesday for further investigations under Section 148 of the Penal Code for rioting.
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