PUTRAJAYA: Reforms are needed in the Industrial Court of Malaysia (MPM) across its operations, processes, legal policies and infrastructure to boost its effectiveness, Human Resources Minister Steven Sim Chee Keong (pix) said.
Sim said this following the increasing number of complaints regarding unfair dismissal cases and disputes over employment agreements received by the court annually.
“Last year alone the court received 1,822 such cases, whereas the preceding year saw 1,657 cases,” he told reporters after officiating at the MPM Legal Reform and Management Symposium here today.
Also present was Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform), M. Kulasegaran.
Sim added that various enhancements have been implemented within the MPM, including extending the term of MPM chairpersons’ appointments to four years from the previous two years, aiming to streamline court proceedings.
He said this year, the MPM will implement various reforms, such as expediting trial processes, reducing backlog cases and enhancing court facilities and amenities.
The inaugural two-day symposium serves as a platform to gather suggestions and views from legal experts, employer representatives, workers and the Bar Council to strengthen the MPM.
Established under the Industrial Relations Act 1967, the MPM acts as a tribunal and sole authority for resolving dismissal cases, collective agreements and industrial disputes among employers, employees and the related workers’ unions. –Bernama
