Sabah Industrial Court Chairman Indra Ayub ordered Malaysian Airports Holdings Bhd to pay Velarie Lesley Harry RM83,957 in back wages and compensation in lieu of reinstatement.The award represents back wages of 24 months amounting to RM64,999 and compensation of one month’s salary for each of the seven years of her service totalling RM18,958.
The court also agreed with the claimant’s contention that the domestic inquiry convened by MAHB had been done arbitrarily and without regard for the rules of natural justice.The chairman also noted that MAHB had failed to call any representative from the medical clinics visited by Velarie to verify whether she had obtained non-medical items as alleged by the company.
The company claimed that it had conducted an analysis of medical claims made by employees in 2019 and found “rampant medical claim abuses” by those working at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport . Several employees had obtained non-medical items such as milk powder, diapers, vitamins, jamu, wet tissues and toiletries from panel clinics which are not covered under their medical benefits, the company added.