Judges literally clean up court house 

KUALA LUMPUR (July 30): Due to a janitors strike, judges including the Chief Justice and the Chief Judge of Malaya, joined a gotong-royong, to sweep and mop corridors, as well as wash all the toilets in the 8 storey building. 

Chief Justice Tan Sri Richard Malanjum and Chief Judge of Malaya Tan Sri Zaharah Ibrahim were joined by approximately 200 High Court judges, Session Court judges, magistrates, court staff and officers, as well as one lawyer.

Malanjum told the Star that joining the clean up had been voluntary.

Administrative assistant Faziah Ahmad said: “You don’t want to leave it as it is.

“There were also some who took their own initiative to clean the toilets before this gotong royong,” she said.

The sole lawyer who joined the efforts was criminal lawyer Kitson Foong. 

“You can’t stand there complaining and whining about how dirty it is. You must be prepared to get your hands dirty.

“Nobody wanted this situation. Whatever the contractual disputes are, it is for another day,” he said to the Star.

Foong believed that lawyers should take part. 

“As members of the Malaysian Bar, we are stakeholders. We should get up, dress up, show up and help clean up,” he said.

He also hoped to see the contractual dispute resolved soon.

Regarding the strike, Zaharah explained that a misunderstanding between the janitors and the contractor had been the catalyst.

“We are taking steps to ensure that this problem does not recur,” she said.

Contractor Perfect Three Solution Sdn Bhd’s spokesperson told the Star that the janitors had gone on strike last week, and not since Ramadan as was previously reported.

“We did not expect this,” he said to the daily. 

One hundred of the 120 cleaners had gone on strike.

The spokesperson said that there were in the midst of sourcing new workers, and promised there would be cleaners at the court today.