share on
Malaysia’s Ministry of Human Resources is investigating a company after bus drivers at Bangunan Sultan Iskandar staged a strike over alleged unfair pay deductions, unpaid overtime, and sudden allowance cuts.
Malaysia’s Ministry of Human Resources (KESUMA) has confirmed it is investigating a recent bus driver strike that took place on 21 July 2025 at Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (BSI), Johor Bahru.
According to the Ministry, the strike involved drivers from a company and stemmed from several alleged violations of employment law. These included salary deductions without explanation, the sudden termination of a Special Duty Allowance, and claims of unpaid overtime (OT).
While many affected drivers reportedly refrained from lodging official complaints due to fear of employer retaliation, KESUMA has initiated an immediate investigation through the Department of Labour of Peninsular Malaysia (JTKSM).
In a bid to avoid recurrence of the strike and ensure continuity of public service, JTKSM carried out early morning monitoring at 5am on 22 July. No further strike incidents were observed, and enforcement officers proceeded with inspections at the company’s premises later the same morning.
The Ministry also revealed that the company had previously been found in breach of overtime regulations during an earlier operation on 17 July. At the time, drivers were discovered to have worked more than 104 hours of overtime per month. This exceeds the legal limit under the Employment (Overtime Limit) Regulations 1980.
As a result, two investigation papers have been opened against the company.
The same transport sector operation inspected 32 companies in total, which led to 34 investigation papers being filed. Of these, 30 were under the Employment Act 1955, and four under the Minimum Standards for Housing, Accommodation and Facilities for Workers Act 1990 (Act 446).
KESUMA has stressed that employers must comply with all provisions under the Employment Act 1955, particularly those concerning wage deductions. If found guilty of making illegal deductions, an employer may face fines of up to RM50,000 per offence.
The Ministry made it clear that it will not compromise with employers who violate workers' rights. YB Steven Sim, Minister of Human Resources has directed strict action be taken against any company that fails to uphold the law, in line with ongoing efforts to protect employee welfare.
Employees who are facing issues such as unlawful salary deductions, unpaid overtime, or unfair treatment are encouraged to file official complaints with JTKSM. Reports can be made via the hotline at 03-88865192/5937 or by emailing jtksm@mohr.gov.my.
KESUMA affirmed that it will continue to monitor the situation and carry out thorough investigations, reiterating its commitment to uphold workers’ rights under the spirit of Malaysia MADANI.
Lead image / Facebook (Public group on Singapore-JB land checkpoint updates)
share on
