MP says Mahathir was ill-informed about forced labour

 

Klang MP Charles Santiago says many Malaysian companies have been found to be in violation of fair labour practices. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s claim that forced labour is not a real issue in Malaysia has been dismissed by an MP who says Mahathir was ill-informed.

Klang MP Charles Santiago said several big companies have acknowledged such abuses, and companies such as medical glove maker Supermax had agreed to reimburse its workers for deductions made from wages and fines levied on them.

The company’s products have been subject to a US import ban over alleged labour abuses. Sime Darby Plantation Bhd had also recently announced it would reimburse recruitment fees paid by its foreign workers.

Santiago said countries such as the United States, Canada and Britain had stopped Malaysian products before.

Charles Santiago..

Mahathir had claimed recently, without elaborating, that allegations of forced labour and child labour at glove manufacturing factories in Malaysia were false.

However, North-South Initiative executive director Adrian Pereira said there had always been forced labour allegations towards migrant workers in all sectors in Malaysia.

Adrian Pereira.

“Throw a stone and it will hit one survivor of forced labour,” he said. “The issue here is that Malaysia has a high degree of monopoly as a supplier and many international buyers have no choice but to use Malaysian companies for their supply chains,” he told FMT.

Pereira added that it was important to look at the history of past administrations to see why foreign worker abuses had been left unchecked for decades in the country.

“How did migrant workers displace Malaysian workers to do dirty, dangerous, difficult jobs? These are questions that Mahathir needs to reflect on over his past policies to see the gaps and mistakes made,” he said. - FMT