Plywood company in Malaysia has been unpaid for 3 months

About 250 migrant workers at Mentakab Veneer & Plywood Sdn. Bhd, a plywood manufacturer in Pahang, Malaysia, have complained that they have not been paid for more than three months. This has caused financial difficulties not only for the workers in Malaysia but also for their families in their respective countries.

A report in Free Malaysia Today on August 12 said that the workers include citizens of Bangladesh, Myanmar, Indonesia and Nepal. They also complained that the working conditions and terms mentioned in the employment letter do not match the actual working conditions in several respects.

A spokesperson for the 126 Bangladeshi workers said that they are struggling to meet their daily expenses in Malaysia due to the lack of salaries. At the same time, family members back home are also facing problems paying loans and house installments.

He said that each worker spent about 16,000 to 18,000 ringgit to come to work in Malaysia. A large part of this has been paid through bank loans, loans taken on land or money borrowed from relatives. Our relatives also depend on remittances.

He said, "Just as we are in crisis here, our family members are also in worry and financial problems. We hope that the Malaysian authorities will consider the matter seriously.

The company's overseas markets include the United States, South Africa and the Gulf countries. The workers alleged that although the employment contract states that they work for 8 hours a day, they are made to work up to 12 hours a day. In return, they claim that they are paid a daily wage of 65 ringgit. They also allege that they are not given regular weekly holidays. The workers' spokesperson further alleged that the company has withheld their passports, which is a violation of the terms of their employment contract.

It has also been alleged that each worker is being asked to pay a deposit of 2,500 ringgit when going home on annual leave. According to the workers, this money is being taken to ensure their return to Malaysia.

The workers said they have reported the matter to the Bangladesh High Commission and the Labor Department. However, they claimed that no official has come to the spot to investigate their complaint so far.

Meanwhile, a company spokesperson admitted to the delay in salary payment and said that the company was facing some problems and there was a delay in paying the workers' salaries.

He said that a part of the workers' salaries has already been paid. However, he did not give details about the amount paid.

The company spokesperson said, "We are not saying that we will not pay them. We are trying our best to pay their dues as soon as possible."

However, the workers are not willing to accept the plan given by the company and it has become difficult to negotiate with them. According to him, the workers are behaving 'aggressively'.

The company further claimed that the amount of workers' demands is increasing every day, making it difficult to handle the situation. The company spokesperson also claimed that other complaints of the workers have been exaggerated to put pressure on the company.