Dismissed From A Sarawak Job
A Sarawak employer ended your job and you want to check your options.
Sarawak workplaces include oil and gas processing in Bintulu, the timber trade in Sibu, and offices and services in Kuching. The same national law covers all of them.
The Industrial Court has a branch in Kuching.
Where the claim is heard
A dismissed Sarawak worker has 60 days from the dismissal to send a written representation to the Director General of Industrial Relations.1
Since 2021, a case that does not settle at conciliation goes straight from the Director General to the Industrial Court.2 No separate approval step comes in between.
Contract, timber and office jobs
A contract worker in Bintulu whose project ended, a timber trading employee in Sibu and an office worker in Kuching face the same question. Did the dismissal have just cause or excuse?
Read how unfair dismissal is judged to test your own ending against that standard.
Starting from anywhere in Sarawak
You can message from Bintulu or Sibu as easily as from Kuching. Living far from the city does not delay the early steps. A short message with your dates is enough to begin.
Your next step
Write down what happened at your Sarawak job in order, with dates. Keep your contract, any project or termination letter, and messages about the ending.
Then check the deadline calculator to confirm your 60 days before they run out.
If you want a lawyer to act, send those dates and facts to an independent employment lawyer. They can review them and reply on whether and how they can take the matter forward.
If you think your Sarawak dismissal had no just cause, send the date it happened and what your employer said. An independent employment lawyer serving Sarawak may review the facts and reply on whether and how they can act.
For people seeking legal representation. For general information, please use our guides and tools.
First contact: general facts only, such as date, location, employment status and a short summary. Keep documents private until an identified independent lawyer contacts you and specifically requests them.
Common questions
I work for an LNG contractor in Bintulu and was dismissed after a project ended. Is that automatically fair?
Not automatically. A genuine project end can be a fair reason, but your employer must still show the timing and process were handled properly. Your contract and the notice you were given are the first things to check.
My employer in Sibu is a timber trading company. Where does my claim get heard?
Through the Industrial Court, which has a branch in Kuching. JPPM confirms which branch hears a claim from Sibu or Bintulu.
Does my case need approval from anyone before it reaches the Industrial Court?
No. Since 2021, the Director General sends a case that fails at conciliation directly to the Industrial Court. That is the same everywhere in Sarawak.
Sources
- A worker dismissed without just cause or excuse may make a written representation to the Director General of Industrial Relations seeking reinstatement within 60 days of the dismissal under Section 20 of the Industrial Relations Act 1967. Mah Weng Kwai & Associates
- Since the Industrial Relations (Amendment) Act 2020 came into force on 1 January 2021, a case that does not settle at conciliation is referred by the Director General directly to the Industrial Court. MECA, Industrial Relations Act 1967 Guide
Keep reading
If you think your Sarawak dismissal had no just cause, send the date it happened and what your employer said. An independent employment lawyer serving Sarawak may review the facts and reply on whether and how they can act.
For people seeking legal representation. For general information, please use our guides and tools.
First contact: general facts only, such as date, location, employment status and a short summary. Keep documents private until an identified independent lawyer contacts you and specifically requests them.