Malaysia May Put Prisoners to Work at Palm Oil Plantations

Seeing labour shortage rise due to the pandemic, Malaysia may force its prisoners into the palm-oil plantations. However, the workers’ rights group alerted that this will lead to institutionalized forced labour. The second largest palm oil producing country’s plantation relies much (nearly 80%) on cheap labour from border countries- Indonesia, Bangladesh, Nepal and India. Reportedly, the government steps to recruit Malaysians for the work has failed.