ILLUSTRATION. Worker shows the fruit of a palm head at a plantation in Malaysia.
Source: Reuters | Editor: SS Kurniawan
KONTAN.CO.ID – KUALA LUMPUR. Malaysia views the United States (US) accusations of forced labor in oil palm plantations as an “old issue”, but they are ready to take appropriate action if necessary.
Last month, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) banned the import of palm oil products from Malaysian FGV Holdings on suspicion of carrying out forced labor in the manufacturing process.
Minister of Plantation Industry and Commodities Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali on Thursday (22/10) said the Malaysian government had stopped recruiting new foreign workers.
“Therefore, the issue of forced labor raised and reported by the US Department of Labor is an old problem and has been followed up by the industry,” he was quoted as saying. Reuters.
Also Read: CPO import ban, US Customs is again eyeing Malaysian companies
“However, with incidents increasing, the Ministry of Plantation Industry and Commodities is ready to consider appropriate actions to address the problem,” said Khairuddin.
The second largest palm oil producing country in the world has stopped recruiting new foreign workers from June to December, as part of measures to contain Covid-19.
But oil palm growers say the policy is exacerbating long-standing labor shortages and affecting production.
Meanwhile, labor groups stated that thousands of foreign workers employed by the oil palm plantation industry were still subject to forced labor conditions.
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