Nube threatens to 'bury Subra' in Segamat

JOHOR The National Union of Bank Employees (Nube) is planning on a sustained picket in Segamat against the BN incumbent, Dr S Subramaniam, who is defending his seat.

Subramaniam (right in photo), the caretaker human resources minister, is already having to deal with the rising momentum of campaigning by PKR rival Chua Jui Meng (left in photo).

Nube has vowed to hold three consecutive days of picketing from today - Labour Day - to ensure Subramaniam is defeated in Segamat.

"He has been the worst human resources minister ever. We will make sure he is no longer minister (after the 13th general election on Sunday)," Nube president Tan Eng Hong said when contacted.

Tan (left) said Nube is upset that Subramaniam had supported the formation of an internal union in Maybank which has diluted its own influence over employee-related matters.

Met at a dinner in Segamat last night, Subramaniam hit out at Nube for playing politics.

"Of course it is political, it is definitely political as it is a union issue, but they are politicising it,” he said.

"It should be resolved within the union and the (Malaysian) Trades Union (Congress). I hope the people will understand.

"To me, what they are doing is wrong as it is already in court ... Why do you (Nube) have to bring it to an election, take it to the streets and picket? It is not a good culture.”

Subramaniam said he had proposed that Maybank employees should vote on whether they want an internal union or Nube, but that the latter had rejected it.

He also claimed that 3,000 of the employees were not in favour of Nube.

Asked if he feels this will affect his chances in the election, Subramaniam replied: "I don't know, we will explain to the people about the exact situation.”

Even though the number of bank workers in Segamat is not significant, the picket is expected to have some impact on Subramaniam’s campaign.

Chua powers on
This eleventh hour assault on Subramaniam comes as Chua's team gains a stronger footing after a 20,000-strong turnout at Pakatan Rakyat's ceramah in Segamat last Wednesday.

Yesterday, Bersih co-chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan’s star power was borrowed to reach out to the Indian Malaysian community - about 400, the majority of who were from the community, were present at an event.

Chua, who is Johor PKR chief, has been campaigning without fanfare in the Malay heartland of the constituency over the past few days.

It is learnt that he has strengthened PKR's machinery by drawing resources from neighbouring constituencies.