Malaysia to charge second glovemaker over poor worker accommodation

A worker stands by the entrance to his housing during a raid on a glovemaking factory over squalid housing and living conditions in Kajang on Dec 21, 2020. PHOTO: EPA-EFE
A worker climbs the stairs inside his housing during the raid on a glove-maker factory over squalid housing and living conditions on Dec 21, 2020. PHOTO: EPA-EFE

KUALA LUMPUR (REUTERS) - Malaysia aims to file 30 charges against glovemaker Brightway Holdings and two of its subsidiaries, after raids that found workers' accommodation was not up to legal standards.

The Labour Department, part of the Ministry of Human Resources, conducted a raid on one of the glovemaking factory's facilities in Kajang district, just outside Kuala Lumpur, last week where they found workers living in cramped, dirty shipping containers stacked behind the premises.

The ministry said in a statement late on Sunday (Dec 27) it had found "facilities that do not meet the minimum standard specifications" and the employer did not have a proper certificate of accommodation.

Brightway did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The ministry said it was in the process of completing investigation papers against Brightway and its subsidiaries Biopro and La Glove.

Malaysia is the world's top producer of rubber gloves, and its factories have been particularly busy meeting orders since the coronavirus pandemic began.

The charges come as Malaysia steps up scrutiny of workers' accommodation at glove manufacturing firms after a Covid-19 outbreak at Top Glove Corp, the world's biggest maker of medical gloves.

A Malaysian officer climbs an iron ladder leading to a hidden door located between the factory and the workers' housing during the raid in Kajang on Dec 21, 2020. PHOTO: EPA-EFE

Malaysia said this month it would file charges against Top Glove because of poor worker accommodation, which it found to be cramped and poorly ventilated.

The country has seen a spike in coronavirus cases since September, with more than 105,000 cases and 452 Covid-19 deaths reported as at Sunday.

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