Plantation labour situation study completed – Minister

KUALA LUMPUR – A study on the Labour Situation in the Plantation Sector has been completed and will be handed over to the Department of Labour (DOL) of the United States soon, said Industry, Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali.

Commenting on the matter, he said the study was conducted with the co-operation of the Human Resources Ministry, Department of Statistics Malaysia and representatives of the International Labour Organisation for two years from 2018.

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The study was carried out to prove Malaysia upheld good labour practices and complying with needs of best practices and labour laws, simultaneously stating the national stand in opposing forced labour practices.

‘’The issue of forced labour was seriously discussed at the ministerial level and became its long term plan to seek a solution on issues arising.

‘’We (ministry) conducted the study and it is completed, and in fact received the approval of the Cabinet and will be handed over to DOL soon,’’ he told a media conference at Parliament Building, here.

According to Mohd Khairuddin, the study was aimed at dispelling foreign news reports which claimed that the biggest local rubber glove manufacturer was using forced labour, prompting the United States to block the import of the company’s product.

‘’All the accusations against the company were baseless,’’ he said.

Foreign media prior to this reported that Top Glove Corporation Bhd (Top Glove) was involved in the use of forced labour, but the result of an investigation by the Department of Labour found the accusations baseless.

As such, he stated the stand that the government supported the effort of Top Glove to conduct an internal audit in an effort to reject the allegations of using the service of forced labour on its manufacturing premises.

Mohd Khairuddin said, although the claims were untrue, he reminded all sectors, including the plantation and commodity sectors, against using forced or child labour. — BERNAMA