AN employee of Western Digital (M) Sdn Bhd’s branch in Penang has lodged a police report against the latter for violating his rights.
In a copy of the report filed on Feb 22 sighted by FocusM, Rajndran Subramaniam, 26, said that he had gone to his workplace located at the Batu Kawan Industrial Zone, Seberang Perai, on Feb 19 (2.30pm) to attend a domestic inquiry against himself.
He said that during the inquiry, the management could not conclude the meeting despite several witnesses being called.
“My parents and several relatives came along as they were worried for my safety due to the long hours the management took to conduct the inquiry, from 2.30pm until 1.30 am the next day.
“During the inquiry, the management forced to me admit to the allegations levelled against me. They also denied me food and toilet breaks the whole time. My mobile phone was confiscated and they brought individuals who had nothing to do with my case to testify against me,” Rajndran claimed.
Following the matter, Rajndran said his family members contacted the police for assistance, which they promptly arrived and took him out from Western Digital’s premises.
“Therefore, I’m lodging the report against my employer for their misconduct,” he added.
MOHE and Suhakam must probe the case
Touching on the matter, Malaysian Trade Union Congress (MTUC) said it was shocked that Western Digital conducted an overnight inquiry against its employee, until Rajndran’s family had to call the police for help.
“We appreciate the Batu Kawan police’s swift action on the matter. If not for their timely intervention, who knows how long the employee would have been held by the management,” its secretary K Veeriah told FocusM.
While acknowledging that Western Digital had the right to call for a domestic inquiry against a worker, it did not excuse the former from acting with impunity over the matter.
“And to subject a workman to such distress and duress, in the guise of exercising it’s prerogative of conducting a domestic inquiry, is not only repulsive but a transgression of the fundamental rights of the worker.
“Furthermore, to subject the helpless worker who had no representation on his behalf to such prolonged hours of questioning was neither acceptable nor justified, what more even in criminal cause of action where the courts’ do not function beyond the prescribed hours of work!” he remarked.
Veeriah then urged Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M Saravanan to investigate the matter as it involves a fundamental abuse of the so-called management’s right to institute disciplinary action.
“We are also convinced that such abuse is an appropriate case for the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) to conduct an inquiry as well,” he added. – Feb 28, 2021.
