PUTRAJAYA must withdraw the employment (amendment) bill after failing to include 10 of the 11 International Labour Office (ILO) forced labour definitions, said Klang MP Charles Santiago.

The bill, tabled in October, includes only one ILO forced labour definition – “restriction of movement”, he said at the Tackling Forced Labour Issues in Malaysia online forum tonight.

The other 10 ILO indicators are abuse of vulnerability; deception; isolation; physical and sexual violence; intimidation and threats; retention of identity documents; withholding of wages; debt bondage; abusive working and living conditions; and, excessive overtime.

Santiago said the government must include all indicators and come up with a clear-cut definition of forced labour to move forward with the plan.

He also urged the government to include issues such as child labour to avoid employers from abusing loopholes.

“Dyson’s pull-out from the country should be a wake-up call for the government and employers on the seriousness of labour issues, which have become a sideshow in a company. That needs to change.”

He was referring to the case involving local manufacturer ATA IMS, which makes parts for Dyson air purifiers and vacuum cleaners. The latter severed ties with the former over labour abuse allegations in November.

Malaysia, a major industrial powerhouse, has been under fire for allegations that migrant workers are subjected to terrible working and living conditions. Foreigners make up a sizable portion of the country’s workforce.

Seven local companies, including rubber glove makers and palm oil producers, have been barred from exporting products to the United States, following evidence of forced labour.

Migrant worker and labour activist Andy Hall, who was also a speaker at the forum, said labour rights policies need to be radically changed as it is the policies themselves that promote forced labour.

The government cannot address the issue if it continues viewing it through a national security lens, he added.

“The Home Affairs Ministry itself promotes self labour in the way it behaves,” Hall said.

He also noted that systemic corruption perpetuates forced labour and other abuses.

For example, Hall said, helplines set up for workers to lodge complaints by the home and human resources ministries not only trap migrant workers, but also fail to protect them.

Malaysia recently launched the national action plan on forced labour (NAPFL) under the Ministry of Human Resources after several large local companies became embroiled in labour abuse allegations.

However, Hall said “unless a lot of things change, then the NAPFL is just a piece of paper.” – January 5, 2022.