Over 60,000 union members in Sabah

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Haji Noor presenting the flag to the Sabah contingent for the inaugural Sukan Pekerja (Super) that will be held in Penang this September.

KOTA KINABALU (Aug 4): A total of 60,764 workers in Sabah are members of registered trade unions, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.

He said that the figure includes 22,317 employees from the government sector, 35,194 from the private sector, and 3,253 workers from statutory bodies.

He added that there are currently 92 registered trade unions in Sabah, overseen by the Sabah Trade Union Affairs Department. These include 23 unions from the government sector, 52 from the private sector, and 16 representing statutory bodies.

“Sabah recorded a workforce of over 1.7 million people last year, and their collective contribution has driven the state’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) up to RM84.3 billion,” he said.

“This growth has significantly boosted GDP, particularly in critical sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, construction, mining and quarrying, and services,” he added, in his speech at the Sabah state-level Labour Day celebration, held here today.

Also present at the event were Human Resources Minister, Steven Sim; Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (CUEPACS) president, Datuk Dr Adnan Mat; and Trade Union Affairs Department (JHEKS) director-general, Mohd Asri Abdul Wahab.

Hajiji said that, in line with the era of globalisation and rapid technological advancement, he urged trade unions in the state to be more proactive in safeguarding the welfare of their members, through initiatives and programmes implemented at both federal and state levels.

“The role of trade unions is crucial as a key pillar in upholding social justice, and ensuring that every worker receives not only fair wages, but also access to skills development, workplace safety and health, comprehensive social security, and a conducive and prosperous working environment.

He added that the Sabah government welcomes trade unions as strategic partners, and remains committed to empowering the workforce, supporting the trade union movement, and safeguarding workers’ welfare.

“I believe Sabah can be a model state in Malaysia, in building an employment ecosystem which not only drives economic strength, but also consistently upholds the rights of workers,” he said.

He also advised union leaders in Sabah who will be participating in the National-Level Trade Union Assembly in Penang on September 6 to use the opportunity to bring the voices of Sabah’s workers to the national stage.

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