ONE of the guiding principles of transformation and success is to learn about the dignity of persons and the dignity of work. We live in an age that has lost sight of true dignity of work, because we have lost sight of the dignity of the worker.

The late Pope John Paul II in his encyclical On Human Work, wrote that work means any activity by man, whether manual or intellectual, whatever its nature and circumstances, it means any human activity that can and must be recognised as work, in the midst of many activities of which man is capable and to which he is predisposed by his very nature, by virtue of humanity itself.

Capitalism, historically and to this day, man and women are often reduced to mere instruments in a society that emphasises productivity over dignity of humans – the worker.

The fact remains that everyone is a worker, irrespective of status, and every type work has its value in society.

Coming from the hospitality industry, I see how housekeeping workers sweat and toil to keep the building clean and sanitised. They provide the value of health and safety, which is little appreciated due to a labelling of status to the job concern. They are paid a meagre salary, resulting in high turnover.

Looking at the Malaysian experience today, human capital and dignity have been categorised by status and type of jobs, without a clear vision of the value of one’s work, however mundane, has its contribution to society.

A prime minister is a worker, a corporate elite is a worker, so is the person who cleans and washes.

A cleaner who does dirty and dangerous jobs cannot be reduced to so-called debate of whether they should be paid minimum wages. They need a career path and dignified remuneration, since they keep society safe and healthy.

A human being with talents and capabilities cannot be reduced to low-skill jobs and paid a meagre salary, but rather should be trained and mentored for bigger positions.

It just not just about building human capability through work, it is also about building an eco-system of human rights where a worker flourishes in conditions of equity and fairness.

Towards this end where everyone is a dignified worker irrespective of status, it is imperative that political elites from both spectrums of the political divide, start paying attention to the dignity of human persons and the dignity of work instead merely being focus on investment, trade and finance, which have no value if human persons are merely regarded as instruments and machines who can be unfairly treated.

Therefore the Association for Community and Dialogue urges Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob to help initiate the formation of a bipartisan vision of dignity of human beings and the dignity of work. – November 29, 2021.

* Ronald Benjamin is secretary for the Association for Community and Dialogue.