MTUC president denies Perkeso scheme lacked stakeholder consultation

The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) president has pushed back against criticism from a union federation secretary-general who threatened round-the-clock protests over the Perkeso Lindung scheme, denying that stakeholders were excluded from the consultation process.

The MTUC leader maintained that extensive discussions regarding the workers' protection scheme have been ongoing for several years, contradicting suggestions that the initiative was rolled out without adequate engagement with labour representatives and other interested parties.

The Lindung scheme, administered by the Social Security Organisation (Perkeso), forms part of efforts to enhance worker protections under Malaysia's social security framework. The disagreement highlights ongoing tensions within the labour movement over the implementation and details of workplace protection mechanisms.

The secretary-general's threat to escalate protest action to a continuous basis underscores the intensity of the dispute, with labour groups seeking greater assurance that their concerns are being addressed in the scheme's development and rollout.