INTERNATIONAL migrant worker rights specialist Andy Hall has hailed imposition of the Withhold Release Order (WRO) by the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) against Supermax Corp Bhd and its three wholly owned subsidiaries given numerous complaints have been lodged to him by foreign workers engaged by the companies.
This is because regular, irregular, directly hired and outsourced foreign workers attached to the glove making firms have reported to him and his team appalling conditions of systemic forced labour at their various workplaces for several years already.
“Debt bondage from recruitment fees, an inability to leave their factory compounds since March 2020, unlawful deductions from their meagre salaries, cramped living conditions, physical and mental abuse, and much more,” he pointed out in a media statement.
“Many of the abuses workers have reported to me and my team are clear indicators of systemic forced labour.”
Effective today (Oct 21), US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at all US ports of entry will detain disposable gloves produced by Supermax Corp’s wholly owned subsidiaries Maxter Glove Manufacturing Sdn Bhd, Maxwell Glove Manufacturing Bhd and Supermax Glove Manufacturing following the WRO issuance.
On Feb 22, CBP formally accepted Hall’s complaint on systematic forced labour conditions that foreign workers reported and alleged themselves to be facing at Supermax and its subsidiaries in Malaysia.
According to Hall, he has engaged the Malaysian authorities on the appalling conditions of work and living alleged by workers at Supermax for a long time without any success and without any response.
“I welcome today’s decision by CBP to ban the import of Supermax’s products into the US and hope this trade enforcement action against the company will lead to a swift change in the abusive living and work conditions faced by the company’s workers in Malaysia,” he noted.
Aside from CBP, Hall also encouraged other law enforcement authorities around the world, including the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA)/Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), the UK Government, the EU (European Union) and the Australian Government “to urgently follow the innovative and impactful approach of the CBP”.
“Malaysia companies in the gloves, palm oil, furniture, garment and electrical & electronics (E&E) sectors continue to profit from systemic forced labour with little to no government oversight by local Malaysian authorities,” lamented Hall.
“Malaysia’s governance of migrant worker and forced labour issues continues to be among the worst in the world. Malaysia’s management of migrant workers who is a crucial part of its economy and labour intensive export production continues to be undeveloped with systemic corruption and little to no respect for the rule of law.’
At 9.27am. Supermax was down 18 en or 8% to RM2.07 with 26.6 million shares traded, thus valuing the company at RM5.63 mil. – Oct 21, 2021
