KUALA LUMPUR: The issue regarding a festival aid payment and the alleged power abuse and breach of trust by Human Resources Minister Steven Sim has been brought to court.
The minister refused to comment on the matter when asked by reporters today as it is now a court case.
"This issue has been extended for hearing so I do not want to comment on it because it is a court case," he told reporters here today.
National Union of Bank Employees (NUBE) has lodged a police report against the minister yesterday as it allaged Sim of sidelining workers in favour of negotiations with their employers, represented by the Malayan Commercial Banks' Association (MCBA).
NUBE general secretary J Solomon said the reports were lodged by its representatives nationwide who claimed that Sim had discussed with MCBA about the aid for this year without the knowledge of the union's national executive council.
Solomon said the union had signed a memorandum of agreement with MCBA on April 5, 2023 which called for banks to pay a month's salary as festival aid to its members. The payment was supposed to be reviewed by both parties the following year.
Solomon said the one-month salary was paid out as stated in the MOA last year.
NUBE reminded MCBA of the agreement in December last year and inititated the reconciliation process for the payment.
However, Solomon said although the reconciliation was still ongoing, the minister had worked with MCBA and got the banks to pay the clerical and special grade clerical members of NUBE only a half-month salary, contrary to the MOA.