Videos showing several construction workers at Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park (KKIP) allegedly assaulting company representatives on Saturday (Apr 15) have recently gone viral, resulting in two arrests.
According to the said clip, it showed a large group of construction workers surrounding and raining down slaps, punches, and kicks on a Korean man at a project site in KKIP.
Assaulted over late salaries
Kota Kinabalu district police chief, Assistant Commissioner Mohd Zaidi Abdullah told The Borneo Post that the victim was a 53-year-old Korean and the company’s project director.
He added that the victim suffered bruising and swelling on several parts of his body and received outpatient treatment at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (HQE).
The victim also lodged a police report over the assault yesterday.
Mohd Zaidi said the altercation was due to the workers’ dissatisfaction over late salary payments, causing them to take their anger out on the victim.
“We’ve detained two suspects so far and are currently looking for another two individuals, who will be probed under Section 147 of the Penal Code for rioting.
“Those who have similar grouses are advised to voice their concerns via appropriate channels. Don’t resort to violence to resolve conflicts,” he said in a statement, adding that the public should refrain from making speculations about the case.
Salaries postponed due to ‘internal reasons’
Sabah Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship Minister Phoong Jin Zhe also issued a statement on the matter, where he said two other men from Shinsung E&G were injured as well.
Shinsung E&G is one of the sub-contractors under Hyundai Engineering, the main contractor of the SK Nexilis project building a factory for copper foil production in KKIP.
The salaries were supposed to be paid on Apr 5, but it got postponed to Apr 18 due to ‘internal reasons’, triggering anger among the workers.
“I’ve contacted SK Nexilis and Hyundai Engineering, and they promised that salaries will be paid on Apr 17-18,” he said.
Phoong, who is also the chairman of KKIP Group, also said several officers from KKIP will personally visit the workers and send regards to them on his behalf.
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Cover image via FB/ inforoadblock
