THE Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) wants Human Resources Minister M. Kula Segaran to explain why its secretary-general J. Solomon was removed from the Social Security Organisation (Socso) board of directors.

MTUC president Abdul Halim Mansor said Solomon’s removal on December 31 is way ahead of the expiry of his two-year tenure that ends on July 31, 2021.

Halim said Kula Segaran’s reason for the removal, purportedly at the request of the Socso board, cannot be true because the minister had never indicated the board’s dissatisfaction, and even thanked Solomon, in a letter prior to the removal.

The Socso board itself never discussed or voted to have Solomon removed, Halim said in a statement today.

“Solomon has confirmed that no Socso board meeting was held where any decision endorsing his removal was taken. In fact, there was never any discussion on Solomon’s conduct at Socso board of directors’ meetings.

“Therefore, it is very strange for the minister to claim it was the Sosco board that pushed for Solomon’s removal.”

Solomon had also sought clarity from the minister on January 6 and 11, but did not receive any explanation, said Halim.

Kula Segaran should give a detailed and transparent explanation on these discrepancies, he added.

“(Or) Solomon’s removal would appear to have been done unilaterally and motivated by personal agenda.”

Halim said Solomon may have displeased the Socso board chairman because of some issues the MTUC secretary-general raised at a meeting last May.

Halim said the board chairman had also written to Kula Segaran at that point asking for Solomon’s removal.

But, he added, MTUC did not find anything untoward in Solomon’s presentation of the congress’ position on issues at the meeting, and the episode did not result in any action taken by the ministry

“As such, it will be very unusual and unjust for that complaint (by the Socso chairman) to be used months later as an excuse to remove Solomon from the Socso board,” Halim said, adding that Solomon should not be penalised for speaking on views representing workers. – January 22, 2020.