Companies self-harm with poor workers’ living conditions - Health DG
COVID-19 | Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah has implored companies to provide better welfare for their workers.
Staff living conditions at rubber glove manufacturer Top Glove came under scrutiny recently after its Meru factory became the epicentre of a Covid-19 outbreak...
COVID-19 | Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah has implored companies to provide better welfare for their workers.
Staff living conditions at rubber glove manufacturer Top Glove came under scrutiny recently after its Meru factory became the epicentre of a Covid-19 outbreak.
Ministry officials met with representatives of the publicly listed firm earlier today.
“We looked into not only the company (Top Glove) but other companies as well. We are looking into the welfare, health issues and safety issues of the workers.
“[...] We are discussing in detail in terms of (how companies can) provide a safe environment for the foreign workers,” Noor Hisham said when asked about the meeting during a press conference.
He pointed to how two laws - the Workers’ Minimum Standard of Housing and Amenities Act 1990 and the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 - held employers liable for workers’ accommodation, welfare and health.
“We need to provide a conducive environment for them (workers). It’s actually a win-win (solution) and helps with sustainability for the company [...]
“Certainly with those who do not comply (with these laws) you can see the multiple issues they have to deal with. That will also jeopardise their operations and (goods) production in their company,” the top official said.
Only virus-free workers discharged
Malaysiakini reported today that workers continue to be bussed into Meru where Top Glove’s factories have resumed operations.
According to Health Ministry figures, the Teratai cluster recorded 4,124 cases as of today. Many of the cases are workers at the company.
Asked if this posed an infection risk, Noor Hisham assured that only workers deemed Covid-19-free had been discharged.
“Yesterday was when the first batch (of workers) completed day 13 (of quarantine) and they have been tested. If they are negative, today we will discharge them.
“They have to go through 14 days of quarantine,” he answered.
As for questions over the infection risk posed by rubber gloves produced by Top Glove, he dismissed such concerns.
“So far there have been no reports of infection from the gloves.
“So the gloves go through certain processes and we have seen there are no other reports documented in terms of infection,” he said.
The world’s largest rubber glove manufacturer, Top Glove has been in the news recently for contributing to the largest Covid-19 cluster in Malaysia to date.
Human Resources Minister M Saravanan recently described the accommodation provided to Top Glove workers as being in “terrible condition".
In response, the company said it has spent tens of millions of ringgit on improving such accommodation.
US Customs and Border Protection previously imposed sanctions on exports from the glove manufacturer, citing concerns over its workers' housing conditions.
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