By Beh Lih Yi, Kieran Guilbert and Amber Milne
KLANG, Malaysia/LONDON, Dec 10 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Malaysia said on Monday it would take action against Top Glove Corp. Bhd, the world’s top medical glovemaker, which admitted breaching labour laws after a Thomson Reuters Foundation expose found some migrants working illegal overtime.
The Thomson Reuters Foundation revealed that migrant workers at the Malaysian company often worked long hours to help clear debts to recruitment agents back home who found them jobs – and in some cases exceed the legal overtime limit.
The expose has prompted investigations by the British government, after finding some Top Glove supplies were used in UK hospitals, and by Australian rubber giant Ansell. It was also raised as a concern by a European parliamentarian.
Top Glove’s share price fell about 5.9 percent on Monday to 5.55 Malaysian ringgit ($1.33).
Speaking at a press conference in Malaysia, Top Glove’s Executive Chairman and Founder Lim Wee Chai said “a small number” of workers had done excessive overtime and the company would “continue to improve” its labour standards.
“We do our part, we do it correctly, we have no pressure, we still can sleep very well tonight,” he told reporters at a Top Glove factory in Klang, an industrial area outside Kuala Lumpur.
“We will continue to do good, if there is any feedback, anything no good, we will continue to improve.”
Lim denied workers were forced to do overtime.
Top Glove earlier said it introduced changes this year to ensure adequate rest for workers, with about 11,000 coming from Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar and India to work for Top Glove in Malaysia, the world’s glove manufacturing capital.
“They got options, you cannot force them. Some workers said they don’t want to do overtime, that’s ok. But most of them come here to make a living, so they want overtime,” said Lim.
Workers at Top Glove factories often work a 12-hour shift and clock 90 to 120 hours of overtime a month, according to documents seen by the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
Under Malaysian laws, workers should be given one rest day each week and work no more than 104 hours of overtime a month.
