KUALA LUMPUR, June 14 — FGV Holdings Bhd (FGV), the Malaysian Trade Union Congress (MTUC) and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Malaysia have co-organised a workshop to promote greater awareness and understanding of the issue of forced labour and child labour among FGV’s plantation workers.
FGV said the workshop held in Bentong, Pahang aimed to support the global and national agenda against forced labour and child labour as well as to contribute to the implementation of Malaysia’s National Action Plan on Forced Labour (2021-2025) and the National Pledge against Child Labour.
Group chief executive officer Nazrul Izam Mansor said FGV is fully committed to playing its part in the fight against forced labour and child labour and firmly believes these topics were of such importance they deserve long-term focus and commitment.
“We know that resolving them will require a multi-stakeholder collaboration that brings together all relevant stakeholders including businesses, government agencies and civil society organisations,” he said in a statement today.
He also noted that the awareness session was part of programmes and initiatives by FGV to enhance its labour practices and to uphold labour standards.
The workshop was facilitated by MTUC’s representatives and participated by approximately 60 workers and 30 management personnel from FGV’s surrounding plantations.
The plantation company said FGV, MTUC and ILO Malaysia reiterate their continued commitment to play a meaningful role in these efforts.
Meanwhile, MTUC secretary-general Kamarul Baharin Mansor said eliminating forced labour and child labour could only be achieved if there is enough awareness and understanding of the subject among all quarters particularly workers, children, parents and enforcement agencies.
ILO Malaysia’s national project coordinator Josh Hong highlighted the importance of freedom of association and collective bargaining as a way to empower the workers and reiterated the ILO’s continued support for cross-sector collaboration to end forced and child labour in Malaysia.
— Bernama
