Amid fresh scrutiny on its labour management practices, the Malaysian glove industry is reportedly facing a manpower shortage, aggravated by an ongoing freeze on the hiring of migrant workers.
Online portal The Malaysian Insight quoted Malaysian Rubber Glove Manufacturers’ Association (Margma) president Denis Low as saying that automation, while in place, remains unable to fill in for workers.
"We are facing a crunch on workers, and we seriously need more workers, both local and migrant.
"We believe that locals may now come forward to work thus easing the dependency on foreign workers," he reportedly said in the wake of soaring demands for rubber gloves due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
"All in all, the demand for gloves will continue to be very strong until 2021, and it is logical that manufacturers need to expand as fast as they can," he added.
As part of measures to boost domestic employment, Human Resources Minister M Saravanan announced last month that new recruitment of migrant workers has been suspended until year-end.
Certain sectors that reopened under the movement control order period also introduced tighter regulations for migrant workers, including mandatory Covid-19 screenings before being allowed to return to work.
In a separate report, The Malaysian Insight also quoted Low as saying that Malaysian glove manufacturers have already filled their order books up until next year.
Just this year alone, Malaysia is expected to ship between 220 and 250 billion pieces to 190 countries, and Low said the figure represents close to 67 percent of targeted global consumption.
Two of Margma's member organisations have so far been hit with an import sanction by the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
The US CBP banned the import of rubber gloves produced by Malaysian producer - WRP Asia - over concerns surrounding the management of its foreign workers in October, last year.
The ban was lifted in March amid a shortage due to the Covid-19 pandemic and it was reported earlier this month that the glove maker has begun reimbursing workers for their recruitment fees.
However, it was reported yesterday that US CBP had imposed a similar sanction on Top Glove without disclosing its exact reasons.
Top Glove, however, indicated that the import ban could be linked to similar issues surrounding its foreign workers' recruitment practise.
Top Glove managing director Lee Kim Meow also reportedly said plans are in place to lift the sanction, and the company could still ship the products to other countries or repatriate the gloves back to Malaysia. - Mkini
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