Rallies, protests mark May Day across Asia

By Aamir Latif

ANKARA (AA) - Tens of thousands of workers and activists took to the streets in Asian capitals on Wednesday to mark May Day, protesting over rising prices and demanding better labor policies and workplace facilities.

In several countries, protesters also observed the day to express solidarity with Palestinians amid an ongoing Israeli offensive on Gaza.

Thousands of workers rallied in the Indonesian capital Jakarta to mark International Workers' Day, demanding the end of outsourcing and low wages, and expressing solidarity with Palestine, the local English daily Jakarta Globe reported.

In Seoul, the South Korean capital, thousands of people rallied, singing and waving flags and shouting pro-labor slogans at the start of their rally on Wednesday.

The protesters criticized what they call anti-labor policies pursued by the conservative government led by President Yoon Suk Yeol.

In Japan, Asia's second-largest economy, over 10,000 people amassed at Yoyogi Park in downtown Tokyo, demanding salary increases that they said could sufficiently set off price increases.

In the Philippine capital Manila, riot police stopped protesters from getting closer to the Presidential Palace as hundreds of workers marched despite sizzling weather to demand wage increases and job security amid soaring food and oil prices, the English daily Manila Times reported.

Hundreds of workers marched in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur, demanding better rights, including a higher minimum wage, local English media outlet Free Malaysia reported.

Addressing a May Day rally in Singapore, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said he has prepared a leadership team to succeed him that deserves Singaporeans’ confidence and support and is prepared to hand over Singapore in good order to his successor, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on May 15.

Rallies, conferences and seminars were held across Pakistan to mark the day.

Thousands took to the streets in commercial capital Karachi, Lahore, Faisalabad, Quetta, Peshawar and other cities to demand better wages, more jobs, and a better working environment.

Addressing the rallies, labor leaders also expressed solidarity with the people of Gaza, where Israeli forces have killed over 34,000 people, mostly women and children.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif hosted a ceremony for laborers at his residence in the northeastern city of Lahore, acknowledging their services in running the national economy, state-run Pakistan Television reported.

In neighboring India, rallies and events were organized at several places on the occasion, with workers demanding better rights.

Major rallies were held in the capital New Delhi, and the financial capital Mumbai, aside from other big and small cities to commemorate the day.

In Bangladesh, multiple gatherings and rallies by labor and political groups were held to demand the implementation of labor laws in government and corporate sectors.

Thousands of workers gathered in front of the National Press Club in the capital Dhaka before they marched on the city roads.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, during a May Day event in the capital Dhaka, urged global buyers to pay more because of the growing inflation so that workers of its RMG (readymade garment) industry can get more money.

“There is a growing inflation, prices of everything are shooting up. So, if you increase the product prices a bit, then I myself can put more pressure on the garment owners to hike the salaries of workers,” she added.

She also urged ILO to look into this matter.

Bangladesh is the second largest RMG exporter after China. Cheap labor is one of the key features that helps Bangladesh lead the global fashion industry.