KUALA LUMPUR (April 27): Kuala Lumpur Kepong Bhd (KLK) is investigating allegations of unethical recruitment practices made against the sub-agents of SOS Manpower Service, its appointed agent to recruit Nepalese foreign workers for its subsidiary KL-Kepong Rubber Products Sdn Bhd.

The allegations, according to KLK, were made by Sajha Sabal Media, a news portal in Nepal.

"We take the allegations seriously and have immediately launched an investigation with all the relevant parties to determine and verify the facts of the matter. Based on the findings, we will take all the necessary and appropriate actions," it said in a statement on Friday.

"In protecting the rights of our foreign workers, KLK has a strict no recruitment fee policy, which has been implemented since 2018 and further enhanced in 2022, to ensure that no recruitment and related fees are imposed on workers at any stage during the recruitment process.

"KLK absorbs all employer-related statutory recruitment and related fees, including but not limited to the cost of transportation, visas, work permits, medical checks, and training/orientation costs in the countries of origin," it said.

KLK said it had completed the reimbursement of all recruitment and related fees to its foreign workers.

It also reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that ethical recruitment practices are implemented across all its business operations.

"In addition, we also carry out a strict review process for our recruitment partners, both locally in Malaysia and in the source countries, to ensure their compliance with our no recruitment fee policy," it added.