FGV protects, respects the rights of its migrant workers

Oleh MUHAMMAD ARIEF CHE SOH
arief@dagangnews.com

KUALA LUMPUR 22 Dec. - In respecting the human rights of its migrant workers, FGV Holdings Berhad (FGV) remains committed to ensure all its workers whose contracts have ended are provided with a safe passage home.

FGV said, for all workers who have completed their tenure of employment with FGV, the costs of their return to the home country, including the air fare is fully covered by FGV.

"While FGV is committed to ensure safe passage for its migrant workers to return to their home country, the efforts have been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the global travel restrictions which began in March 2020.

"From March to July 2020, there were extremely limited flights available from Malaysia to other countries including to the home countries of FGV’s workers, in particular Indonesia, India and Bangladesh.

"When more flights to Indonesia and Bangladesh became available at the end of August 2020, its schedules are often postponed or cancelled due to global spikes of the COVID-19 pandemic," said FGV in a statement today.

Between March to December 2020, FGV had assisted a total of 1,084 of its migrant workers to return to their home countries. Of the 1,084, 661 are from Indonesia, 295 India, 126 Bangladesh and two Nepal.

For FGV’s migrant workers from India, their returns are facilitated through the High Commission of India in Kuala Lumpur during this period. 

FGV added, the COVID-19 pandemic had also led to the delay in the renewal of workers’ documentation such as work permits and passports, due to closure of relevant authorities and respective embassies. 

FGV claims it does not practice the retention of migrant workers’ passports, and have installed a total of 32,250 safety boxes throughout all its 68 complexes, as an option for migrant workers to keep their passports safely.

At the same time, FGV said it remains committed to implementing its action plan under its affiliation with the Fair Labor Association (FLA).

The action plan was adopted on 31 March 2020, at a time when the COVID-19 situation was rapidly worsening globally, including in Malaysia.

The FLA Action Plan 2020 can be accessed on FGV’s website at www.fgvholdings.com, with the next progress report due to be published on 31 March 2021.

"FGV’s commitment to respecting human rights and to upholding labour standards is in line with its commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and to the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs). 

"FGV’s sustainability and human rights agenda remain a top priority as it continues to dedicate energy in enhancing its labour practices," said FGV. - DagangNews.com