TOP Glove Corp Bhd has been cleared of allegations of forced labour practices by the Human Resources Ministry.

The ministry said a raid on the company’s headquarters in Meru, Klang, on July 13 found no elements of forced labour.

However, the glove-maker did break other health regulations in place to curb Covid-19 transmissions, for which the company has been fined by the Health Ministry.

“The investigation showed the company breached several standard operating procedures, such as the lack of social distancing at the work place and allowing crowded living quarters. 

“The Top Glove management was compounded by the Health Ministry and issued a compliance notice by the Local Government and Housing Ministry. 

“However, no crime of using forced labour was detected,” the Human Resources Ministry said in a statement today.

It said the raid was conducted before a detention order was imposed by the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) against Top Glove subsidiaries.

The US recently slapped Top Glove with a detention order, which is usually issued to prevent the importation of goods suspected of having been produced by forced labour.

The US CBP website showed Top Glove Sdn Bhd and TG Medical Sdn Bhd, both subsidiaries of Top Glove Corp Bhd, on its list of companies whose products are barred.

The two companies account for 12.5% of the group’s total sales.

Human Resources Minister M. Saravanan had also met with Top Glove’s top management and other glove industry players, the statement added.

“The ministry realises that the effect of the detention order imposed by the CBP will affect the credibility and image of the country internationally, while influencing the confidence of international investors following the allegation of forced labour.”

The US had, in October last year, blocked the import of gloves made by another Malaysian manufacturer, WRP Asia Pacific, alleging that the company had engaged in forced labour practices. – July 21, 2020.