Who The Director General Is

The Director General of Industrial Relations is the official title behind the office that receives every unfair dismissal filing in Malaysia before it goes any further.

What It Means

When you file a Section 20 representation, you are addressing it to the Director General of Industrial Relations, the head of the department responsible for handling dismissal disputes.¹

In practice, the office runs through its officers and staff, who manage conciliation meetings and prepare the file if the case needs to move forward.

Why It Matters To You

This office used to have real discretion over whether a case that failed to settle would move to the Industrial Court, decided together with the Minister. That changed with a 2020 amendment.

Since that amendment took effect, the Director General now refers a case that fails to settle straight to the Industrial Court, without waiting on a separate ministerial screening step.²

What Does This Office Actually Do

For a worker, the practical role is simple: it is where your claim lives while it is being processed, from filing through conciliation to referral.

Delays at this stage are common and are not usually a sign your case is weak, so it helps to check in periodically rather than assume silence means a problem.

If your matter has already reached conciliation, read what to expect at JPPM conciliation so the meeting itself does not catch you off guard.