Veteran trade unionist Jiwi Kathiah passes away

Veteran trade unionist GV (Jiwi) Kathiah passed away at the age of 82 yesterday.

The late trade unionist who was also the editor of Malaysia Indru (Malaysiakini’s Tamil edition) and Sembaruthi.com for 13 years, died due to old age in Rawang.

Known as the country’s most veteran trade unionist, he also contested in three elections.

Born in Batu Arang, Selangor in 1938, he started his early education at the Batu Arang Tamil School before continuing his studies at the University of Buckingham, University of Warwick and University of London in the United Kingdom.

His involvement in trade unions, especially those in the plantation sector, started in the early 1960s when he was among those who had played a pivotal role in the All Malayan Estates Staff Union before becoming the union’s secretary-general.

Meanwhile, Malaysiakini chief executive officer Premesh Chandran said Jiwi would be well remembered.

“After years of being a unionist in the plantation sector, he became the editor of Malaysiakini's Tamil section in 2008. He started to learn how to run a digital website well into his 70s.”

Jiwi, said Premesh, could not stand for injustice.

“He would rave against the oppression of workers by companies and against the people by the government.

“His heart was always with the downtrodden and he felt their pain in his bones.

“He spoke about the day that the poor would overcome their chains and finally get their justice and fair share of the world's wealth.”

Premesh recounted how Jiwi always had lovely stories to tell about the history of the people's struggle.

“Each time I bumped into him at the office, he would have a ‘Prem, did you know...’ recounting a historical incident. His stories would always remind us that we have to stand with the oppressed and marginalised.”

Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) deputy chairperson S Arutchelvan remembers how the late Jiwi was a “fiery speaker” and a “true defender of the working class”.

“A unionist to the truest sense. My first introduction about this man was when I was told that he once stood on the table to make his point to the bosses, perhaps to the Malayan Agricultural Producers Association.

“I laughed and the person told me, it is true and not a joke. After knowing him, I started to believe it.

“The man was full of passion when it comes to talking about the working class or defending them,” said Arutchelvan.

Klang MP Charles Santiago spoke of Jiwi as a “man of principles”.

“Fought for the rights of workers and marginalised all his life.

“Highly respected in union circles. Champion of mother tongue education. Will be missed,” he tweeted.

Family and friends will be paying their last respects to Jiwi at the crematorium in Kampung Tunku, Petaling Jaya, tomorrow.