Parliament: 8 Malaysian companies slapped with WRO in past two years, says minister

EIGHT Malaysian companies had been subjected to the Withhold Release Order (WRO) imposed by the United States Customs and Border Protection (US CBP) in the past two years. 

According to Deputy Human Resources Minister Datuk Awang Hashim, these companies consist of producers of rubber gloves and oil palm products. 

However, it is noted that two of the eight companies were released from this order in 2021 after taking the necessary preventive measures and actions, Awang explained. 

“This included proving that the products made, produced or manufactured did not involve any practice of forced labour,” he added. 

Awang was responding to Sungai Buloh MP R. Sivarasa who asked about the names and business fields of Malaysian companies slapped with the WRO by US CBP from 2019 until now. 

Meanwhile, he remarked that the Malaysia-US Joint Working Group Committee was scheduled to hold its first meeting virtually in August, with the second meeting planned to be held physically in Kuala Lumpur in December this year. 

The committee was formed following a proposal made by Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan on his visit to the United States last May. 

Awang said that through the committee, various cooperation programmes were expected to be implemented, including on capacity development, information and technology sharing, and dialogue sessions with parties of interest. – July 28, 2022 

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