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KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters): A Malaysian glove manufacturer has denied that hundreds of its workers live in metal containers in squalid conditions that Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan described as modern slavery.
Ministry officials on Monday carried out a raid on a glove factory in the Kajang district on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, where they found workers living in dirty, narrow shipping containers stacked behind the facility, according to media reports. previous.
A ministry spokeswoman confirmed the reports, adding that 781 workers were employed at the factory, most of whom were migrants.
Brightway Holdings Sdn Bhd confirmed that the raid took place early Monday at its LA Glove subsidiary, but denied that its workers lived in containers and said it had fewer workers than the number given by the spokesperson.
The reports came as the Southeast Asian nation intensifies scrutiny of worker accommodation at glove-manufacturing companies following a Covid-19 outbreak at Top Glove, the world’s largest manufacturer of medical gloves.
Top Glove became the site of Malaysia’s largest virus conglomerate after more than 5,000 workers were infected, while two other glove manufacturers also reported outbreaks.
Saravanan said that the living conditions in the Kajang factory were the worst he had ever seen.
“I don’t know how anyone could live like this,” he said in comments broadcast by Astro Awani. “This looks like modern slavery.”
In a separate Facebook post, Saravanan said conditions at the factory violated Malaysia’s law on worker accommodation standards and called on companies to provide adequate living facilities for their employees.
However, Brightway’s human resources manager Alice Michael said workers lived in a three-story building near the factory but off limits, as the company did not want employees to stay and be exposed to the Covid-19.
“There are only 450 workers, many of whom have shelters further afield, but they were brought into this building temporarily.”
The company said it was instructed to meet with the Human Resources ministry next Tuesday, but did not elaborate.
Health authorities ordered the factory shut down for seven days, citing conditions that could lead to the spread of infectious diseases.
Brightway said this was because workers were not wearing face masks correctly and social distancing requirements were not being followed. He said he would take steps to rectify the situation in order to revoke the closure order.
Malaysia has seen an increase in coronavirus cases since September, with more than 95,000 cases and 438 deaths from Covid-19 reported. – Reuters
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