A cockerel settlement

One of my earliest cases was involving a Chinese employer and an Indian employee. There were two versions of the story, one by the employer and the other by the employee. To break the monotony of arguments the employer asked if the claimant was prepared to slaughter the head of a white cockerel. The employee had no qualms as he did not believe this superstition. I adjourned the case for two hours to enable the employer to fetch a white cockerel. After two hours the employer came with a white cockerel under his armpit. We adjourned to the garage of the Labor Department Kluang. The legs of the cockerel was bound by a string. He handed it to the worker with a knife, told him to swear what he says is the truth and cut the cockerel’s head. The worker dutifully did what he was told and the employer handed the worker what he claimed and the case was settled. The employee asked if he could take the cockerel home but the employer refused saying it was “pantang.’ We had no doubt the chicken ended up in the cooking pot. of the employer.

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