KUALA LUMPUR – Following the raid on a glove factory in Kajang yesterday, which revealed squalid living conditions of its foreign workers, the factory has been ordered to cease operations from December 24 to 30.
A spokesman from the Selangor Health Department revealed that a notice was given to the factory by Hulu Langat’s Health Office yesterday, ordering the company to cease operations.
However, due to requests by the company’s management, they will not be required to pause production immediately, only two days later.
The spokesman said that the notice was given because the factory had failed to comply with standard operating procedures set by the National Security Council (NSC) over social distancing, mask-wearing, and sanitation.
It was also confirmed that the factory was compounded, but the spokesman refused to reveal the amount.
Labour Department communications officer Jennifer Abdul told The Vibes that the company may be facing exorbitant fines under the Workers Minimum Standards of Housing and Amenities Act 1990.
“If found guilty, they can be fined up to RM50,000 per worker for each offence. This factory has more than 700 workers and possibly committed more than one offence,” she said when contacted.
However, the parent company of the factory told Reuters yesterday that its workers were not living in shipping containers.
Jennifer said that the company could deny the allegations, but the Labour Department had already conducted and concluded its investigations yesterday on the factory.
Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan, who was present during the raid yesterday, had also rubbished the parent company’s claim in a Malaysiakini report.
He said that the ministry had enough evidence on the factory, and the media was present during the raid.
During the operations yesterday, Saravanan, who witnessed these living conditions firsthand, compared their situation to “modern slavery”.
Inspection of the living premises revealed that up to three workers were forced to sleep in a small cramped space.
The media reported that the Hulu Langat district office seized the containers, as they were built without authorisation. – The Vibes, December 22, 2020
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