US Customs looks forward to working with Sime Darby over forced labour issues

 

The United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said yesterday that they are looking forward to working together with Malaysian palm oil giant Sime Darby Plantation in addressing forced labour issues that had caused the company's products barred from entering the US.

In a virtual media roundtable session last night, CBP deputy executive assistant commissioner of Office of Trade John P Leonard stressed that companies wishing to modify their import ban status should have "persistent engagement" with the agency.

Leonard cited Top Glove as an example, the glove manufacturer that was previously slapped with a withhold release order (WRO) by the CBP over forced labour allegations, saying that the world's largest disposable rubber glove producer was quick to work with CBP to remediate its situation.

"The key to getting a modification is persistent engagement by the company. As I mentioned earlier, the Top Glove situation... The CEO and his deputy had a lot of recurring communications with us, working with the independent audit.

"As more time goes by and more evidence we get, that can eventually turn a WRO into a finding, which is the next legal step whereby we can actually seize goods upon entry," he said.

Leonard was responding to a journalist's question on why CBP had issued a finding on Sime Darby Plantation, which said it has conducted an independent audit to address forced labour allegations against the company.

On Jan 28, CBP issued a notice of finding on Sime Darby Plantation, saying that it has determined that the company was using forced labour to produce certain palm oil products and their derivatives.

With the finding, US authorities were authorised to automatically seize all Sime Darby Plantation products that reached its ports.

In an immediate response, Sime Darby Plantation expressed its disappointment with the latest US action, saying that it came "just ahead of the publication of the independent report" being prepared by an independent audit firm.

"We look forward to Sime Darby coming to us and working with us on what they got on their audit.

"But again, the key to moving this thing is persistent engagement, from top levels of the company to show us they are serious about it," Leonard said. - Mkini