The Chinese workers have walked to the consulate to seek help on their unpaid wages.
KOTA KINABALU (Jan 18): About 60 China construction workers have sought assistance from the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Kota Kinabalu to recover the wages owed to them.
The workers claimed that 169 of them have been hired to work on a construction project in the city but they have not been paid since November last year.
They alleged that their employer did not communicate with them as to when they would be paid.
“Chinese New Year is around the corner and we have to send money back to our families in China.”
Hoping to seek help from the Chinese consulate, around 60 of them walked about two hours from the construction site to the consulate in Kolombong since 7am on Tuesday.
Police were dispatched to maintain order upon being alerted to their presence by nearby residents as the group passed by former deputy chief minister Tan Sri Pairin Kitingan’s home in Damai.
The workers have aired their grievances to the Chinese consuls, who assisted them in negotiating with representative of their employer.
The workers have remained calm, and no untoward incident was reported.
The workers later agreed to return to their quarters at the construction site while awaiting for the issue to be resolved.
The police have also advised the employer to arrange transport for the workers so that they did not have to walk all the way back.