PENAMPANG (Aug 4): Amendments to the Sabah Labour Ordinance (SLO), effective May 1, have strengthened workers’ rights in the state and aligned them with protections already in place in Peninsular Malaysia, said Human Resources Minister Steven Sim Chee Keong.

Speaking at the 2025 Sabah State Labour Day Assembly at the International Technology and Commercial Centre (ITCC) today, Sim said the amendments — over two decades in the making — have finally addressed long-standing legal imbalances while abolishing outdated provisions such as the ban on women working at night.

“Previously, there were provisions that were no longer relevant. These have now been harmonized with the Employment Act 1955,” Sim told reporters.

The Labour Day event gathered over 2,000 trade union representatives and was officiated by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Hajiji Noor, who also handed over the Sabah contingent flag for the upcoming Workers’ Sports Games (SUPER), to be held in Penang this September.

Sim also announced that the Ministry of Human Resources (KESUMA) will table the Gig Workers Bill in Parliament this month to provide legal protections for Malaysia’s growing gig economy workforce.

“The MADANI Workers’ Card programme has registered over 150,000 participants, offering benefits such as discounts on basic necessities. In Sabah, one company is even offering a 10 percent discount on home purchases for cardholders,” he added.

Additionally, Sim launched the country’s first KESUMA One-Stop Service Centre, located in Sabah, which consolidates services from nine departments and five agencies under one roof for the convenience of workers and employers.

He also revealed that a comprehensive review of 28 labour-related laws is currently underway — including both the Sabah and Sarawak Labour Ordinances — to ensure alignment with current needs and international labour standards.

“There are no plans to abolish the existing ordinances, but harmonization and refinement are ongoing to ensure all workers in the country receive fair and balanced rights,” he said.

Also present at the event were Sabah Minister of Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship Datuk Phoong Jin Zhe, Director-General of Trade Unions Mohd Asri Abdul Wahab, Cuepacs President Datuk Dr Adnan Mat, and Sabah Department of Trade Union Affairs Director Noraini Ithnin.