Forced labour allegations at Kawaguchi, Malaysia
…IndustriALL is demanding that the Malaysian government act immediately to counter the serious labour rights abuses, including elements of modern slavery, at Kawaguchi Manufacturing in the country…
In September 2024, allegations against Kawaguchi Manufacturing surfaced through public media, later confirmed by the Malaysian Labour Department. These included wage theft, recruitment fee exploitation, denial of leave, poor living conditions, visa renewal refusals, intimidation tactics such as detention and deportation threats, and the withholding of migrant workers’ passports. Over 200 local and Bangladeshi migrant workers were reportedly affected by these violations of national labour laws, international labour standards, and human rights.
Major brands, including Sony, Panasonic and Daikin, which sourced from the company, are urged to provide remediation for the affected workers. Simply withdrawing operations without compensation risks worsening the workers' plight…
Gopal Krishnam, secretary of IndustriALL Malaysia Council, says : “This is as a serious violation of workers' rights and human rights. A systemic approach from the government is urgently needed. Although reformed, Malaysia’s labour still contain weaknesses. There is a lack of law sanctions on employers' interference in organizing, lack of access to the workplace when employers campaign against unions, and no protection for migrant workers who are often threatened with retaliation if they vote for unions.”…