KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 24): There are five active import bans on Malaysian entities by the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) as at Dec 24, 2021.
The group of banned entities with the status listed as “active” is displayed on the CBP’s website.
Other statuses are “partially active” and “inactive".
Several Malaysian manufacturers and companies have come under intense scrutiny by labour and human rights watchdogs for alleged foreign worker abuse and forced labour issues.
The bans involve three instances each of disposable gloves and two pertaining palm oil and palm oil products.
Gloves
The firms listed in this category are: Maxter Glove Manufacturing Sdn Bhd, Maxwell Glove Manufacturing Bhd and Supermax Glove Manufacturing; Smart Glove; Brightway Holdings Sdn Bhd; and Brightway Holdings Sdn Bhd, Laglove (M) Sdn Bhd and Biopro (M) Sdn Bhd (collectively Brightway Group).
Palm oil
Affected under this list are Sime Darby Plantation Bhd and its subsidiaries and joint ventures as well as FGV Holdings Bhd and its subsidiaries and joint ventures.
The CBP said the actions were taken based on "information that reasonably indicates the use of forced labour in that entity's manufacturing operations".
The actions against FGV and Sime Darby were taken in September and December 2020 respectively, while the actions against the glove makers were taken in October, November and December 2021 respectively.
Diverting US items to Iran
Elsewhere, the US Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) has acted against entities operating in Malaysia, China, Georgia and Turkey for diverting or attempting to divert US items to Iran’s military programmes.
Malaysia’s Integrated Scientific Microwave Technology Sdn Bhd was on the list released by the BIS on Dec 16.
Read also:
US Customs bans Malaysian glove maker Brightway over alleged labour abuses
Forced Labour National Action Plan to be launched next month — Saravanan
Malaysia's labour abuse allegations a risk to export growth model
Dyson terminates relationship with ATA IMS over labour practices
Police to look into claim ATA IMS whistle-blower beaten by police
Malaysian firm among entities banned by US for attempting to divert US items to Iran’s military programmes