Child Labor in Malaysia
Steps in Addressing Risk Factors & Developing Evidence-Based Interventions
Proposed Actions by the Asian Research Center for Child & Adolescent Development (ARCCADE)

21 June 2021: ARCCADE is keen to form a coalition in addressing the issue of child labor in Malaysia, and invite organizations to email its interest to [email protected]. Deadline: 1 July 2021
Depending on traction, we plan to start project work by September 2021.
Our proposed international partner for consultation on this project will include Plan International Indonesia.

U.N.’s International Labor Organization has estimated 1.5 million children between 10 and 17 years old labor in its agricultural sector. In Malaysia, a newly released government report estimated more than 33,000 children work in the industry there, many under hazardous conditions – with nearly half of them between the ages of 5 and 11.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/platform/amp/news/2021/1/1/22204684/child-labor-girl-scout-cookies-palm-oil-kernels-farms-indonesia-malaysia

Sarah Norton-Staal, UNICEF’s Chief of Child Protection reminds people of the vulnerabilities of children in Malaysia to child labor. “Decline in household incomes for families have a negative impact on children. Decreasing economic opportunities often force children into exploitative labor. Action needs to be taken to ensure children continue to learn, and that families are supported to avoid the exploitation and abuse of children through harmful labor.”
https://www.ilo.org/asia/media-centre/news/WCMS_749128/lang--en/in
“Child labour is a form of child abuse and exploitation. Otherwise, the government must continue to provide financial assistance to underprivileged families in order to avoid child labour. Both primary and secondary education must be made free to ensure that parents have no excuse not to send their children to school,” says Children’s Commissioner of Suhakam Prof Datuk Noor Aziah Mohd Awal
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2020/06/12/amend-act-350-to-prevent-child-labour-abuse-says-suhakam/1874856

The vast majority of child labor in Malaysia is found in agriculture.
https://www.thestar.com.my/news/focus/2021/01/24/end-the-exploitation-of-children
Countries such as The United States and Canada are investigating allegations of forced labor in Malaysia’s palm oil and glove manufacturing industries.
https://globalnews.ca/news/7901141/malaysia-forced-labour-probe/
“For example, workers described the imposition of arbitrary penalties, threat of and actual sexual harassment, physical threats and abuse, various and inconsistent deductions in pay, varying conditions of accommodation, and fees charged for basic facilities,”
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-malaysia-palmoil-sime-darby-plant-idUSKBN2490MM

A recent investigation by AP uncovered child labor in Malaysia and Indonesia - even in the making of popular western snacks such as Girl Scout cookies. Palm oil is a common ingredient. Children perform a variety of tasks including pruning and weeding trees with no shoes and moving wheelbarrows full of fruit that are more than twice their body weight. They are exposed to pesticides and fertilizers that are illegal in other countries due to their danger. 
​https://www.insider.com/girl-scout-cookies-contain-palm-oil-sourced-using-child-labor-2021-1
https://www.business-humanrights.org/en/latest-news/malaysia-report-finds-child-labour-forced-labour-migrant-worker-abuses-at-nestl%C3%A9-palm-oil-suppliers-includes-comment-from-nestl%C3%A9/
In September, the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) banned imports from the world’s largest producer of crude palm oil over accusations of forced labor.
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2021/06/18/fgv-to-pick-auditor-to-assess-forced-labour-accusation/1983141

10-year-old Ima is among the estimated tens of thousands of children working alongside their parents in Indonesia and Malaysia, which supply 85% of palm oil — the world’s most consumed vegetable oil. She sometimes worked 12 hours a day, wearing only flip flops and no gloves, crying when the fruit’s razor-sharp spikes bloodied her hands or when scorpions stung her fingers. 
https://chicago.suntimes.com/platform/amp/news/2021/1/1/22204684/child-labor-girl-scout-cookies-palm-oil-kernels-farms-indonesia-malaysia