Automobile Association of Malaysia staff still not paid

Despite memos being circulated to assure employees that their salaries will be paid, even after several months, employees of Automobile Association of Malaysia (AAM) have yet to get their long overdue salaries, theSun reported.

Three of AAM's employees came forward to share with theSun that their backdated salaries - as far back as July - have yet to be paid. It is not known, how many others are yet to receive their salaries. Additionally, theSun’s reports from August to October suggests that backdated salaries has been postponed several times.

Khairul Anwar Ariffin, a dispatch personnel with AAM headquarters in Shah Alam told theSun that after not being paid his salary for four months, he saw no other options but to tender his resignation in November.

“The management promised a number of times to pay our salaries, but it was never fulfilled and before I left I heard all impending salaries will be settled by end of December but there is no sign of it till date,” he said.

He said memos have been circulated to assure employees that their salaries will be paid, but nothing came. He added that the management never took into account the plight of the employees.

Khairul said he had to resign as he could not bear the medical expenses of his then ailing father who had recently passed away.

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According to theSun, another staff known as Azimah, also resigned in August last year and lodged a report with the Labour’s Office in late December last year. seeking her two months salary for July and August.

For the hearing held on January 11, this year, Azimah who attended said no representatives from AAM were present.

Asyraf Abas, who was an administrative staff with the association for six years, quit six months ago, and he was not the only one to do so, as his father and uncle who also worked for AAM resigned.

Similar to Khairul, Asyraf was also told that the salaries will be paid at the end of December, but nothing has come about since.

Asyraf said: "They didn’t pay us and how are we supposed to pay our bills?"

The motoring association came under fire last year after finding itself floundering over a debt of RM4.5 million. It has since downsized its operations, closing more than half of its 18 branches.

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Photo / 123RF