THE National Union of Bank Employees (Nube) today claimed that a bank in Ipoh has denied justice to an employee who was allegedly harassed, intimidated, and ultimately suspended on 20 August 2024 for reporting incidents of sexual harassment against her.
In a statement, the union claimed that the female bank employee had been repeatedly harassed and bullied, including sexually, by her male superior since 2021. Despite numerous complaints, the bank took no action against the perpetrator.
“Unable to endure the harassment and intimidation any longer, the victim reported the matter to the union, and a police report was filed on 16 August 2024 regarding her claims of sexual harassment and bullying by her superior.
“Earlier that same day, the bank had sent the victim a letter instructing her to attend an investigative interview on 20 August 2024 concerning her allegations.
“On 19 August 2024, the victim responded to the bank, stating that she had filed a sexual harassment report on 6 October 2021, but no concrete action had been taken by the bank against the perpetrator, and she continued to be harassed,” said Nube General Secretary J. Solomon.
He added that the victim also lodged four grievances, requesting that the union participate in the process. She expressed her wish not to bypass the grievance procedure or attend the investigative interview.
On 20 August 2024, the victim received a letter from the bank stating that her refusal to attend the investigative interview was “tantamount to acts of insubordination and wilful defiance of authorities.”
The bank decided to suspend her until further notice, barring her from entering the work premises without prior permission from her superiors. She would receive half pay for the first two weeks, after which she would be reinstated to full pay.
"The sexually harassed victim has been suspended because she wanted the bank to pursue the matter with her union (NUBE), as it had been discussed between the state-level union and the management but remained unresolved, and is now at the national level.
"Instead of addressing the issue with the union, the bank, in a desperate attempt to intimidate her, turned her into the target of an investigation. This intimidation is carried out to restrain the member from seeking union representation," claimed Solomon.
The victim's superior had allegedly sent her a message asking her to accompany him to ‘teman tido kt indra’ and had also sent her a lewd sticker of a man in a sarong with his private parts blacked out.
The superior had also allegedly sent the victim a photograph of his half-naked body and other lewd images.
"Despite repeated complaints to the bank's superiors, no stern action was taken, and the victim's superior was merely asked to stop his actions.
"Our union representative from Ipoh met with the parties involved and the bank management and advised that the superior be removed from that particular bank.
"However, no action was taken, and in a drastic turn of events, the bank is now punishing the victim, while no action has been taken against the perpetrator," added Solomon. – August 22, 2024.
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