Saravanan to address forced labour issues in US trip

Human Resources Minister M Saravanan said he will address forced labour issues on a trip to the US.

Saravanan, who will be joining Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob's entourage to Washington DC for the US-Asean Special Summit from May 10 to May 13, said he will share Malaysia's efforts in combating forced labour.

"During my visit, I will be pursuing the forced labour initiative agenda subsequent to my recent trip to Geneva and London to deposit the ratification of International Labour Organisation (ILO) protocol 29 on forced labour and discussion with the United Kingdom on the same issue.

"As such, I am scheduled to meet with relevant departments in the United States namely the US Department of Labour and US Customs and Border Protection including a session with the Responsible Business Alliance.

"I will also share Malaysia’s good practices in addressing forced labour and explore opportunities for bilateral cooperation with the US government as part of the effort to ensure Malaysian companies and products are free from forced labour practices in their supply chains," he said in a statement.

In recent years, Malaysian firms, particularly in the glove-making industry, have faced US sanctions for their alleged poor treatment of workers.

Many of these workers are foreign labour who are recruited on unfavourable terms, putting them into debt bondage.

Following repeated sanctions, an under-pressure Putrajaya has stepped up efforts to deal with issues of forced labour and human trafficking. - Mkini