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KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 11 (Reuters) - Some Malaysian palm oil plantations are discouraging foreign workers from going home at the end of their contracts and are asking them to keep working as the novel coronavirus exacerbates a chronic labour shortage, rights groups say.
Malaysia’s two biggest palm planters said they were not forcing workers to stay but efforts to repatriate migrants had been slowed by novel coronavirus travel restrictions.
Malaysian plantations have long faced accusations of mistreating the 330,000 or so migrants who make up 84% of the workforce producing palm oil, which is used in everything from food to soap. The crop has also drawn criticism from environmentalists over the clearing of forests to plant it.
Some Malaysian palm oil plantations are discouraging foreign workers from going home at the end of their contracts and are asking them to keep working as the novel coronavirus exacerbates a chronic labour shortage, rights groups say.
Palm oil workers discouraged from going home, rights groups say freemalaysiatoday.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from freemalaysiatoday.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Malaysia palm oil workers discouraged from going home, say rights groups | Malaysia malaymail.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from malaymail.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.