The strike organised by some 800 foreign factory workers in Kulaijaya, Johor took a alarming turn when the protesters set the JCY HDD Technology Sdn Bhd building on fire last night.
Earlier yesterday, the striking workers, mostly Nepalese nationals, had gathered outside the company’s offices, throwing rocks and burning down a car inside the compound, prompting Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) and Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) officers to swoop in to contain the situation.
The protesting mob also damaged three other blocks owned by the company.
At around 8pm last night, the workers torched the electronics manufacturing plant whose management they accused of mistreating them.
According to Xee Xiang Yun of The Star Online, the Fire and Rescue Department arrived at the scene at 8.38pm after receiving an emergency call at 8.25pm. The fire was successfully put out at around 10.05pm.
A representative of the strike group, 23-year old Kishor Rai, told The Star Online earlier yesterday that the company had been abusing its factory workforce on a daily basis, and the workers were not going to stand for it any longer.
Last Thursday, more than 1,000 foreign workers also staged a mass protest at another JCY HDD plant at Johor Bahru’s Tebrau IV Inidsutrial Area, following the death of a Nepalese worker.
See Also:
1,000 foreign factory workers went on strike in JB over death of colleague
Striking factory workers burn car in Johor
Photo: The Star
