Malasia - Vague laws open up to abuse by employers (2010, 2011)

The law forbids managers and workers in executive positions from organising, but a definition of this category of workers is not provided in the law. This has led to extensive abuse by most employers to deny union membership rights and remove experienced union leaders, often by interpreting the managerial and executive category as including supervisors, assistant supervisors, section leaders and lower-level supervisory personnel. Another legal provision that is widely misused by the employers concerns the requirement that trade unions apply for recognition from the employers. The latter use this to delay union recognition and thwart efforts by unions to organise and bargain collectively.