LOCAL security guards are allegedly being exploited by certain agencies, Security Guard Union of Malaysia (SGU) president Ali Ibrahim said.
Since the union’s inception six months ago, it has received nearly 100 reports of guards being cheated.
He said some guards who worked 12 hours shifts were not paid overtime but only paid the minimum wage.
“Most companies do not follow the labour law or basic salary, which is a big issue. There could be RM1,000 or more, difference in the amount they are supposed to be paid.
“The union has taken the matter to the labour court. We (union) act as their intermediaries,” he told The Malaysian Insight.
He said to date they have taken about 100 companies to the labour court and assisted about 1,000 guards.
“The most frequent complaints we get are on salary. Most of the companies pay the minimum wage of RM1,500. It is the extra overtime that’s not paid which comes up to about RM1,125 per month.
“The union will contact the companies on the matter. Most of the companies will settle the salary issue but others, we have to take them to the labour court.”
He said that currently the union represents 5,000 guards nationwide.
Ali said the authorities, especially the Home Ministry and Malaysian Security Industry Association (PIKM), should look into this problem.
“We have requested a meeting with the Home Minister ( Saifuddin Nasution Ismail) and we are also submitting a white paper on all the grouses.”
He said currently there are about 150,000 registered guards nationwide where about 30,000 are Nepalese.