M A I N   N E W S

68 Indians told to resign 

Kuala Lumpur, April 15
Sixtyeight Indian workers have been allegedly asked by their local employer to resign and return home after they demanded a pay hike. The Indians, some of whom have been working here for the past six years, claimed that they had been cheated of their monthly wages by the company, which manufactured car spare parts, and told to resign and return home when they demanded a pay hike, the “Malay Mail’’ reported yesterday.

They claimed they were promised RM 800 (Rs 9,832 approx) a month in their employment contract but instead were paid less than half the sum.

“We are only getting RM 320 (Rs 3,933 approx) monthly and work 10 hours a day plus two hours overtime daily. In a month, we are given two days off and allowed two days medical leave,” one of the workers identified as Shanmugam Angathkumar told the paper.

He said the workers had asked the employers to increase their salaries but the management had turned a “deaf ear.” Shanmugan said their passpsorts were with the employer.

Another worker Ganapthy Srinivasan said the company authorities had threatened the workers when some of them asked for a raise.

“We were suspended and days later given a show-cause letter for our ‘absence’,” he told the daily.

The workers, who said a police report had been lodged by them, later went to the Indian High Commission to present their case. The employer too met the High Commission officials. — PTI