KUALA LUMPUR: Rights group Liberty Shared has asked United States customs authorities to investigate the Malaysian operations of American tyre maker Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co over accusations of abusive labour practices, the group told Reuters.
The Hong Kong-based anti-trafficking group said its June petition to U.S. customs, based on lawsuits and police reports by migrant workers, was probably the first such effort against a subsidiary of an American-owned company in southeast Asia.
"The conditions and treatment they have endured seem to satisfy the International Labour Organisation's forced labour indicators," the group's managing director, Duncan Jepson, said in its first comments to media on the issue.
Goodyear, one of the world's largest tyre makers, said it was not aware of any petition on the matter, while the U.N. agency did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Malaysia, which employs millions of foreign workers, has faced growing accusations of exploitative labour practices, and received the worst ranking this month in an annual U.S. report on human trafficking.
Similar petitions to U.S. customs, including one last year by Liberty Shared regarding Malaysian palm oil producer Sime Darby Plantation, have led the United States to block imports over suspected use of forced labour.
Goodyear's Malaysian unit was asked by an industrial court to pay back wages to migrant workers and comply with a collective pact, after dozens of foreign workers sued over unpaid wages and unlawful overtime, Reuters reported in May.
It has challenged two verdicts in the High Court.
In its response to the rights group's comments, Goodyear added that it had strong policies to protect human rights.
"We take seriously any allegations of improper behaviour and are committed to ensuring that our business practices and those of our associates, operations and supply chain adhere to all applicable legal requirements and the requirements in our policies," a spokesperson said in an email.
In the past, the company has declined to comment on the workers' accusations, citing the court process.
Malaysia's largest fund manager, Permodalan Nasional Berhad, which owns 49% of Goodyear Malaysia, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said it does not comment on whether specific entities are being investigated.
Jepson said he understood U.S. customs was pursuing the petition he filed. In an email, the CBP told him it had received the petition on forced labour conditions and was reviewing the information. Reuters reviewed the email.
The July 19 email does not name Goodyear Malaysia, but Jepson said the petition was only about the company, based on civil cases and police reports filed by its workers.
Last year, after Liberty Shared accused Sime Darby of forced and child labour, the CBP blocked its products from entering the United States.
Sime Darby has appointed auditors to evaluate its practices and said it would engage with the CBP to address the concerns.
Reuters
Thu Jul 29 2021
Goodyear's Malaysian unit was asked by an industrial court to pay back wages to migrant workers and comply with a collective pact, after dozens of foreign workers sued over unpaid wages and unlawful overtime, Reuters reported in May. - REUTERS
Pelajar tahfiz perlu teroka bidang teknologi
Kira-kira 200,000 pelajar tahfiz di negara ini, perlu dipastikan untuk mempunyai kemampuan dan peluang menjadi tenaga penggerak kepada umat Islam Malaysia dalam meneroka bidang yang dahulu dilihat sebagai asing., tegas Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Perpaduan rakyat prasyarat ekonomi mampan
Tidak semua negara Islam mempunyai ruang dan kesempatan untuk terus aman dan damai, dan mempunyai peluang untuk menikmati ekonomi yang kukuh dan berkembang seperti Malaysia, tegas Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Beliau berkata, rakyat Malaysia perlu mempunyai tekad untuk memahami maksud dan keperluan perpaduan di kalangan mereka, serta kekuatan dalaman yang seterusnya dapat dijadikan tonggak untuk negara membuat langkah seterusnya.
Beliau berkata, rakyat Malaysia perlu mempunyai tekad untuk memahami maksud dan keperluan perpaduan di kalangan mereka, serta kekuatan dalaman yang seterusnya dapat dijadikan tonggak untuk negara membuat langkah seterusnya.
Tidak perlu tergesa-gesa tukar ke lesen B - JPJ
Pemegang Lesen Memandu Malaysia (LMM) Kelas B2 dan B1 tidak perlu tergesa-gesa mendaftar Program Khas Peralihan LLM Kelas B2/B1 Kepada LMM Kelas B kerana tiada had masa ditetapkan untuk permohonan.
KPWKM teruskan lapan inisiatif bantu warga emas
Kementerian Pembangunan Wanita, Keluarga dan Masyarakat (KPWKM) akan terus menggerakkan lapan inisiatif utama dalam memenuhi keperluan jagaan dan sistem sokongan terhadap warga emas.
Warga emas maut ditikam anak kandung yang berhalusinasi
Seorang pesara guru maut ditikam anak kandungnya sendiri di sebuah rumah dekat Kampung Senaling, di sini, petang Sabtu.
Menurut Ketua Polis Daerah Kuala Pilah, Superintendan Amran Mohd Ghani, siasatan awal mendapati warga emas berusia 65 tahun itu cuba memujuk anak lelakinya yang juga pemegang kad orang kurang upaya (OKU) mental yang dikatakan mahu membunuh diri.
Menurut Ketua Polis Daerah Kuala Pilah, Superintendan Amran Mohd Ghani, siasatan awal mendapati warga emas berusia 65 tahun itu cuba memujuk anak lelakinya yang juga pemegang kad orang kurang upaya (OKU) mental yang dikatakan mahu membunuh diri.
Berita tempatan pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Berikut adalah berita yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang Sabtu, 5 Oktober 2024.
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
Hezbollah lancar serangan peluru berpandu ke atas kompleks industri ketenteraan di utara Israel
Pergerakan Hezbollah di Lubnan berkata mereka telah melancarkan serangan peluru berpandu ke atas kemudahan ATA Defence Industries.
Tiada kaitan dengan pelantikan CEO MDEC, Anuar Fariz bukan adik saya - Fahmi
Menteri Komunikasi Fahmi Fadzil menyangkal dakwaan Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif (CEO) baharu Perbadanan Ekonomi Digital Malaysia (MDEC) Anuar Fariz Fadzil merupakan adiknya.
Israel lakukan persiapan untuk serang Iran - Laporan
Tentera Israel sedang bersiap untuk "tindakan balas besar-besaran dan ekstrem" terhadap Iran.