MALAYSIA REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO STRENGTHEN LABOUR AGENDA UNDER NAPBHR

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 26 (Bernama) -- Malaysia is committed to enhancing the labour agenda through the execution of the National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights (NAPBHR) 2025-2030.

The Human Resources Ministry (KESUMA) said in a statement that this includes enhancing business accountability for workers' rights and promoting ethical employment practices across all levels of the supply chain.

This stance was conveyed during two closed-door discussion sessions titled 'Implementation of Malaysia's National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights (NAPBHR)' and 'Human Rights and Platform Work in Asia-Pacific: Harnessing the Digital Shift' at the UN Forum on Business and Human Rights in Geneva, Switzerland, two days ago.

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During a closed-door session led by Dr Mohd Shaharin Umar, the deputy secretary-general (Policy and International) of KESUMA, reaffirmed Malaysia's commitment to enhancing the protection of workers’ rights through improving labour legislation, strengthening enforcement against forced labour and child labour and expanding social protection measures for gig workers and those in the informal sector.

The ministry also highlighted the importance of encouraging employers to adopt Human Rights Due Diligence (HRDD) practices.

"The ministry is also committed to strengthening worker grievance mechanisms, enhancing the capacity of enforcement officers, and expanding strategic cooperation with relevant agencies, the private sector, labour unions and international development partners," it added.

These efforts aim to ensure that the implementation of the Labour Chapter under the NAPBHR delivers tangible impact at the industrial and grassroots levels.

The statement further added that the sessions highlighted several key issues and challenges, including capacity gaps among small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in implementing HRDD, compliance challenges within global supply chains and businesses' readiness to meet new legal requirements.

Meanwhile, at the session titled 'Human Rights and Platform Work in Asia-Pacific: Harnessing the Digital Shift', Malaysia was represented by deputy director-general (Policy and Development) of the Legal Affairs Division, Prime Minister's Department, Datuk Dr S. Puntiha, who participated as a panellist.

During the session moderated by Chair of the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights, Pichamon Yeophantong, the director of the International Human Rights Division of the Ministry of Justice Thailand, Nareeluc Pairchaiyapoom, congratulated Malaysia on the passage of the Gig Workers Act by Parliament.

-- BERNAMA