KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Rubber Glove Manufacturers Association (Margma) said yesterday it does not allow any foreign workers under the employment of its member companies to work excessive hours.

“Our member companies [also] adhere to the Malaysian labour laws regarding overtime work,” it said, but conceded that there are many foreign workers in Malaysia who request for overtime work to increase their income.

“Our member companies are required to provide adequate rest time as well as at least one rest day per working week. Meanwhile, foreign workers also enjoy public holidays,” Margma said in a statement yesterday.

“We would also like to emphasise that all major multinational and big corporations that buy gloves from us carry out comprehensive social responsibility audits on all companies which they conduct business with on a periodical basis.

“Without our member companies passing these social responsibility audits, the major multinational and big corporations will not buy medical gloves from us,” it added.

Margma’s statement comes as Top Glove Corp Bhd, the world’s largest natural rubber glove maker, recently conceded that some of its workers had breached the overtime limit of 104 hours per month, although its executive chairman Tan Sri Dr Lim Wee Chai denied they were forced to do so.