In a Labour Day message, federation president Syed Hussain Syed Husman called for faster policy implementation and balanced regulations that protect workers without burdening businesses, while emphasising that social justice and economic competitiveness must progress together.

Separately, the National Skilled Workers Organisation (Belia Mahir) spoke out against “condescending attitudes” among employers, poor communication, and failure to appreciate employee contributions.

Belia Mahir president Rizan Hassan said Malaysia’s economic strength lies in the quality of relationships between employers and employees.

“Employers need to hold employees in high regard. Employees are not merely labour, but strategic assets that contribute to organisational and national growth,” he said.

Rizan also reminded workers to shed negative work habits and urged the younger generation to emerge as not only technically proficient but also with strong integrity, responsibility, dedication, and high resilience.