Suara Pekerja dan Kesannya Terhadap Kestabilan Ekonomi dan Masyarakat

Mutakhir ini sudah mula terjelmanya siri-siri demonstrasi aman tetapi bertenaga di UK yang dianjurkan secara aktifnya oleh Kesatuan-Kesatuan Sekerja. Platform demonstrasi ini ternyata mendapat sambutan hangat kerana ia menawarkan suatu ruang kepada pekerja-pekerja untuk berkerumun lalu menghidangkan segala apa yang tersimpan di dalam hati untuk dihadamkan oleh pimpinan kerajaan dan wakil-wakil rakyatnya ekoran kemelesetan ekonomi global kini.

Sememangnya dari hari ke hari, industri di UK kian menghadapi cabaran kegersangan lantaran terbendungnya limpahan pelaburan dan kewangan sehingga menyekat aliran sumber-sumber utama yang sangat dikehendaki untuk menyegarkan industri sekaligus menyemarakkan ekonomi. Ternyata ia telah menjebak sebahagian penggerak-penggerak ekonomi untuk meloloskan diri dari lumpur-lumpur liabiliti pada kadar segera samada dengan menjerut kapasiti operasi, melupus aset-aset dan membuang pekerja-pekerja.

Kehadiran tindakan yang sebegini rupanya (samada bermoral atau tidak) bukanlah sesuatu yang luar biasa. Menjadi lumrah ekonomi kapitalis sejak dulu kala lagi bahawa tatkala sesuatu kemelesetan ekonomi itu berlaku maka berduyun-duyunlah penggerak ekonomi menanggung bebanan hutang yang berlipat ganda. Tidak sekadar itu sahaja, malah ianya diberatkan pula dengan lebihan sumber-sumber yang ada yang diragukan prospeknya, tempang upayanya dan berkurang nilainya. Apatahlagi dengan menjunamnya nilai pasaran saham dan komoditi, harga produktiviti dan sebagainya maka semakin jelaslah catitan di buku-buku akaun mereka dengan rentetan angka-angka yang cukup merah sifatnya.

Apa yang pasti, tindakan rencam ini telah menyebabkan sebilangan besar pekerja berasa amat terpedaya dan tersiksa jiwa raga lantaran jasa bakti selama ini dalam memekarkan keuntungan dan memberansangkan petunjuk produktiviti bagaikan tidak dihargai dan dipedulikan oleh majikan. Walau dihulurkan bunga-bunga pampasan sebagai memujuk hati yang duka lara namun apalah ertinya jika segala impian dan agenda mencipta kerjaya masa depan yang membanggakan telah hancur berkecai.

Pada masa yang sama, umum melihat dimensi penggerak-penggerak ekonomi sebagai golongan oportunis yang hanya mengingati tanggungjawab kepada pelabur tetapi melupai tanggungjawab kepada masyarakat. Ini kerana usaha-usaha ke arah mengurangkan liabiliti adalah merupakan cetusan aspirasi untuk memastikan firasat keuntungan mereka tidak terjejas secara melampau.

Atas persepsi-persepsi sebeginilah maka pekerja-pekerja mula membina jaringan dan kemudian bersatu lalu tampil bersuara mendesak dan merayu supaya Kerajaan British melakukan pemeriksaan segera demi menyihatkan kembali industri-industri yang uzur ini melalui rawatan polisi bersama suntikan kewangan yang tegar.

Jeritan suara-suara mereka yang nyaring itu tampaknya sudah mula didengari oleh pimpinan negara. Terdapat beberapa inisiatif yang diumumkan baru-baru ini sebagai memastikan Kerajaan British tidak lalai atau lari daripada fokusnya untuk memenuhi keperluan visi dan misi jangka panjangnya. Mereka juga melihat keperluan suntikan kewangan khususnya dalam industri permotoran dan pembinaan sebagai asas untuk membina masa depan yang mapan. Ini kerana penglibatan semula Kerajaan British membantu industri tidak lagi dilihat sebagai ‘bail-out’ atau menawar laba percuma kepada penggerak industri, sebaliknya ia merupakan tunjang dalam mengembalikan semula kestabilan bukan sahaja kepada ekonomi malahan seluruh masyarakat.

Between Malaysian Politic and Business Power, Which is More Effective in Driving Sustainability?

The days when environmental concerns meant checking the weather forecast for rain before we organise our “Kenduri-Kendara” are long gone. An issue once dismissed as “tomorrow’s problem” is now the biggest issue facing the whole planet. The leaders of each countries around the world are falling over themselves to establish their green credentials with the people.

In the UK, the deafening chorus of approval that greeted Sir Nicholas Stern’s report on climate change has been followed by the climate change bill, which has the long term aim of reducing carbon dioxide emissions 60% by the year 2050. Its impact is likely to be felt by all those involved in the business, from blue chip clients to the small medium enterprises.

The British Government policy on sustainability has already been felt in socio-urban and regeneration agendas where many politicians and councils have demanded high-density mixed urban developments, in a bid to preserve social cohesion, green spaces and the planet at large.

But are political leaders and business lobbies jeopardising economic growth in their zeal to force the whole industry to embrace green issues?

Malaysia is a non-annex 1 country, not obligated to reduce our Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. However as signatory of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, Malaysia has ratified the Kyoto Protocol in September 2002. This indicates the Malaysian Government strongly support Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) activities and has implemented an institutional framework. Furthermore, there is a great potential for GHG reduction projects in Malaysian in several sectors.

So how much sacrifice from the Malaysian business is really needed to avoid, for example, the apocalyptic conclusions of the Stern report? And does the business mostly dominated by short term concerns – investor value and share price – really have the ability or appetite to embrace technologies that take years to break even?

I think the Malaysian Government should tackle these issues head on, putting business leaders, politicians, opinion-makers and environmentalists face to face. They will need to take a critical look at all aspects of the green debate in the immediate future and long term. This is because the downturn economy will challenge the whole industry to cure its pollution ill and come up with more green solutions and at the same time to flourish their business in a slow market and catalyse innovation to create new opportunity.

The current sustainability agenda should be purely dominated by the increasing interdependence of public and private sectors. The government has to make it clear that the industry’s use of natural resources, the level of pollution and the amount of waste generated by the business and in use are purely unsustainable. Whereas the business is looking to examine energy and resource efficiencies to reduce their operational cost significantly

I would rather suggest for us to look at some of the critical issues as follow;

i. A possible lack of coordination between Federal and State Government, an overlay bureaucratic planning process and differences between city councils and local authorities that have blighted process on sustainability improvement.

ii. How the sustainable measures will be paid for as the government may offer a carrot through incentives, but the business is likely to face the stick of increased taxation.

iii. The business needs to re-examine their emissions trading and carbon offsetting in order to embrace change even by using their purchasing power to impose it on the supply chain.

I believe it is important to highlights how far up the politic and business power, the issue of sustainability always come at the forefront. The message has come that it is the responsibility of both public and private sector to show their commitment to work together across the board in resolving the pollution and carbon issues that people and market can’t deal with and create something that the people and market needs, whether that is renewal energy, carbon reduction, waste recycling or etc. and do that in an innovative and cheaper way.