Global Labour

Date: Tue, 02 May 2000 11:40:37 +0800
From: DAP MALAYSIA <dap.malaysia@pobox.com>
Subject: Digital Divide Betwwen Workers In The Throes Of Globalisation

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Labour Day message by Dr Tan Seng Giaw, DAP National Vice-Chairman and MP for Kepong on 29 April 2000

Please Study And Correct The Digital Divide That Affects Workers In The
Throes Of Globalisation
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There are over nine million workers in Malaysia. The advent of
globalisation or the new ways of doing things leaves many in a quandary.
The digital divide--the gap between those who know the e's and the k's
things and those who do not or not in a position to learn to know--is
getting increasingly serious. If U.S.A. has introduced Internet and
other modern gadgets over twenty years ago, then Malaysia is years
behind.

At the top level, we may be behind USA perhaps less than five years.
But, at lower levels, we lag far behind. Yet, we have no choice. We have
to make up for leeway.

How many of the over nine million workers know about computer or the
information technology and the modern concepts about life as a whole?
How much do we all know? While we must try our utmost to catch up with,
we must lay the foundation to narrow the digital divide, irrespective of
race, colour or creed.

E for electronic and K for knowledge, or e's and k's things, are and
will permeate every section of society. But, permeation is uneven and
can be very unfair. There are many good things. There is no poverty
where there is virtue, no riches where virtue is not. How do the workers
know?

Globalisation can very easily result in unequal opportunities.
Unscrupulous people can use the e's and k's things to do harm to others.
The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose.

The unemployment rate is 3 per cent. The 1998 Labour Force Survey showed
that 64.6 per cent of the unemployed were below 25 years old and the the
number of unemployed who were university graduates rose from 9.8 per
cent in 1996 to 12.7 per cent in 1998. There may be over 30,000
unemployed graduates in the country. The survey must be done frequently,
maybe every year, and the causes for unemployment determined. Many may
not know how to use computer.

While we would like to see all universities attain international
standard and all graduates are gainfully employed, we hope that the
Government will ensure a fair deal for all workers including proper
training in Industrial Training Institutes.

Occupation Safety and Health Regulations, 1996, must be amended to make
sure that all workers are safe and healthy. They must be enforced
effectively. The incidence of industrial accidents in Malaysia is three
times that of advanced countries. From 1993 to 1997, the number of
industrial accidents fell from 134,546 to 96,098, but the number of
industrial deaths rose from 795 to 1,478 in the same period.

The Employees Provident Fund has over RM163 billion assets and over nine
million members. Let us hope that this Fund is used solely for the
benefits of members, not for the privileged few.