Citing forced labour, US bans import of Sime Darby’s palm oil, related products
A general view of the Sime Darby Plantation headquarters in Petaling Jaya October 2, 2019. In a statement, the CBP said a withhold release order was issued based on information that Sime Darby Plantation has 11 of the mark of forced labour designated by the International Labour Organisation. — Reuters pic
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 30 — The United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has announced today that its personnel will detain any palm oil and products manufactured by Sime Darby Plantation Bhd and its subsidiaries or affiliates.
In a statement, the CBP said a withhold release order was issued based on information that Sime Darby Plantation has 11 of the mark of forced labour designated by the International Labour Organisation.
“American consumers can help end modern slavery by choosing to buy products they know are ethically and humanely sourced,” its acting commissioner Mark A. Morgan said in the statement.
In July, a Hong Kong-based anti-trafficking NGO called Liberty Shared had petitioned against Malaysian palm oil giant Sime Darby Plantation Bhd due to alleged child and forced labour.
In the petition filed with the US Customs and Border Protection agency in April, the group urged a ban on imports of the firm’s palm oil products.
The petition’s summary said workers and civil society it interviewed revealed complaints of arbitrary penalties, threats of and actual sexual harassment, physical threats and abuse, various and inconsistent deductions in pay, varying conditions of accommodation, and fees charged for basic facilities.
The report also pointed at mistreatment of foreign workers, and unlawful practices by recruitment agents.
Malaysia is the world’s second largest producer of palm oil, the most consumed edible oil, with Sime Darby Plantation one of the largest in the industry here with a history stretching back to the 1800s.
Malay Mail is contacting Sime Darby Plantation and its parent company Sime Darby Group Bhd for comment over this latest decision.
It had in July said it would reach out to anti-trafficking group Liberty Shared as it is concerned over the serious allegations made by the Hong Kong-based group that were submitted to the CBP.
The firm also admitted to the challenges and complexity of the supply chains across the industry, but said it was committed to the No Deforestation, No Peat and No Exploitation (NDPE) approach.
Last year, the CBP had already issued a separate order against another Malaysian palm oil giant, FGV Holdings Bhd, following claims of child and forced labour, following two petitions — by the Grant & Eisenhofer ESG Institute, and International Labor Rights Forum, Rainforest Action Network and SumOfUs.
The US is one of the largest importers of Malaysian palm oil products. In 2019, exports of Malaysian palm oil products to the US were worth RM3.1 billion (1.1 million tonnes).
In a statement, the CBP said a withhold release order was issued based on information that Sime Darby Plantation has 11 of the mark of forced labour designated by the International Labour Organisation.
“American consumers can help end modern slavery by choosing to buy products they know are ethically and humanely sourced,” its acting commissioner Mark A. Morgan said in the statement.
In July, a Hong Kong-based anti-trafficking NGO called Liberty Shared had petitioned against Malaysian palm oil giant Sime Darby Plantation Bhd due to alleged child and forced labour.
In the petition filed with the US Customs and Border Protection agency in April, the group urged a ban on imports of the firm’s palm oil products.
The petition’s summary said workers and civil society it interviewed revealed complaints of arbitrary penalties, threats of and actual sexual harassment, physical threats and abuse, various and inconsistent deductions in pay, varying conditions of accommodation, and fees charged for basic facilities.
The report also pointed at mistreatment of foreign workers, and unlawful practices by recruitment agents.
Malaysia is the world’s second largest producer of palm oil, the most consumed edible oil, with Sime Darby Plantation one of the largest in the industry here with a history stretching back to the 1800s.
Malay Mail is contacting Sime Darby Plantation and its parent company Sime Darby Group Bhd for comment over this latest decision.
It had in July said it would reach out to anti-trafficking group Liberty Shared as it is concerned over the serious allegations made by the Hong Kong-based group that were submitted to the CBP.
The firm also admitted to the challenges and complexity of the supply chains across the industry, but said it was committed to the No Deforestation, No Peat and No Exploitation (NDPE) approach.
Last year, the CBP had already issued a separate order against another Malaysian palm oil giant, FGV Holdings Bhd, following claims of child and forced labour, following two petitions — by the Grant & Eisenhofer ESG Institute, and International Labor Rights Forum, Rainforest Action Network and SumOfUs.
The US is one of the largest importers of Malaysian palm oil products. In 2019, exports of Malaysian palm oil products to the US were worth RM3.1 billion (1.1 million tonnes).
is fine, we can sell to china saudi iran iraq.
ReplyDeleteMy company had signed up more than a decade ago for compliance to what was known as EICC ,Electronic Industry Code of Conduct, now known as RBA.
ReplyDeleteAll the minimum standards , especially on treatment of employees, no forced Labour, no child labour, maximum overtime, due process for employee misconduct are all laid out.
I can only watch in horror as huge companies like Top Glove and FGV that need to do businesss with North America ignored those rules.
One major area Malaysian employers of foreign workers fall afoul of is the practice of collecting back the foreign worker agent's fees by deducting from the foreign worker's salary. It is legal to do so in Malaysia, as long as stated in the worker's contract.
That is a big No-no in today's North America legal terms, considered as indentured labour, a form of Forced Labour, because the worker has to work just to pay off the recruitment fees.
Of course, the Yankees were themselves guilty of indentured Labour in the Bad Old Days, but this is 2020.
"the Yankees were themselves guilty of indentured Labour in the Bad Old Days, but this is 2020."
DeleteWakakakakaka… talking about slavery labour practices, do u actually know anything?
Most of the 3rd world & developing countries sweatshop operations r engaged by multitudes of western demoNcratic MNS.
These sweatshops r using child labours, despicable working conditions, low wages etc etc as the only means to extract profit from the tight margin controls of the MNS.
Some MBA r caught & slapped with the minor penalty. Then the background issues continue after some cosmetic changes as nothing has happened!
Can u see the mfering pull&push factors. In these operations?
Obviously not - as this is a 'awaken' 2020 to a western demoNcratic asslicker for its beloved & f*cked idealism.
The worst sweatshops in Africa now are run by CCP-based companies, who see nothing wrong with Child labour.
DeleteOld moneyed mfer, backs up yr fart lah!
DeleteI suggest u go to Nigeria, Ethiopia, Tanzania to find out the conditions of the China owned factories vis-a-vis those contracted by western MNS.
Farting is so so easy for mfer dwelling under a fart filled well.
The way Malaysia, which claims to be an “Islamic” country treats its fellow Muslim workers from Indonesia, Bangladesh etc is as disgraceful as the halal meat scandal.
ReplyDeleteMenteri Buruh Bangla Saravanan how?