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PETALING JAYA: The Labor Department says it will open 30 investigative papers into glove maker Brightway Holdings’ failure to comply with various housing standards under a newly enforced law.
The Human Resources Ministry said the decision to open the investigative documents came after raids on two of the company’s subsidiaries over the past week, and Minister M Saravanan described the miserable conditions for foreign workers as “modern slavery. “.
If convicted, the company could face a fine of RM 50,000 for each offense or a total fine of RM 1.5 million. All investigative documents are in the final stage of preparation before being presented to the department’s prosecutors, the Human Resources Ministry said today in a statement.
Located in Kajang, La Glove (M) Sdn Bhd was raided on Monday, and the Labor Department found 781 workers living in two blocks of shipping containers stacked three stories high.
On Thursday, the department conducted another multi-agency operation at another of Brightway’s subsidiaries, Biopro (M) Sdn Bhd in Port Klang, where they found workers housed in two warehouses.
Like the La Glove containers, Biopro warehouses were illegally converted into accommodation for foreign workers.
“The Department of Labor is in the process of completing the investigative documents and a total of 22 charges will be brought against Brightway Holdings And Biopro (which) covers various offenses under the Minimum Standards of Housing and Services for Workers Act (Law 446) and its regulations below, ”the ministry said.
“Eight charges will be brought against La Glove. A total of 30 positions will be opened at Brightway Holdings and its two subsidiaries. “
Thursday’s raid on Biopro, which was covered by the media, was accompanied by another raid on Brightway Holdings, which is also located in Port Klang. The ministry did not provide a breakdown as to how many investigative documents were opened at Biopro and Brightway Holdings.
Brightway Holdings serves as the corporate and administrative center for the Brightway Group, with La Glove and Biopro as its main production facilities, according to the Brightway Group website.
Since then, Saravanan has revealed that the operation at Biopro was compromised after details of the raid were leaked, resulting in the workers being moved to another location.
Brightway Holdings also has a factory in Bestari Jaya, Selangor and Chemor, Perak.
The group has a total of 52 lines and is capable of producing 340 million gloves per month. Incorporated in 1988, Brightway Holdings produces natural and synthetic gloves for a global market that requires cleanroom, industrial and medical applications.
Among the group’s largest importers are US personal care giant Kimberly-Clark and Australian personal safety and protection firm Ansell, who have told FMT they are reassessing their relationship with the firm in light of the latest developments.
Kimberly-Clark produces household brands such as Kleenex, Scott and Huggies, while among Ansell’s biggest buyers is the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK.
In addition to failing to obtain a housing certificate, the human resources ministry said Brightway also failed to provide facilities that meet minimum standard specifications under the Minimum Standards of Housing and Worker Services Act.
By law, employers must provide a mattress of at least four inches, a pillow, a blanket and a locker, all of which the company did not do.
“The human resources ministry will not engage in any violation or non-compliance under Law 446 and the regulations under it,” the ministry said.
“The ministry urges all employers and centralized accommodation providers that have not requested a certificate of accommodation to do so immediately to avoid any legal action.”
Earlier this month, the Labor Department said 19 investigative documents were opened on another glove maker, Top Glove, for failing to comply with Law 446 following operations in Johor, Perak, Kedah, Kelantan and Negeri Sembilan.
