Malaysia joins other Asean nations in maintaining that trade issues and labour matters should be separate because any linkage would impose a burden on countries which have not reached a position to comply with tougher international labour standards, said the Human Resource Minister today.

Fong Chan Onn who was speaking at a press conference at the 15th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Labour Ministers Meeting in Kuala Lumpur said there is an increasing tendency for international trade organisations to link labour standards with international trade.

In their joint communique, Asean labour ministers reiterated that labour standards should not be linked to international trade and that the International Labour Organisation (ILO) is the most competent body to deal with the issue.

"We are concerned because the members are in various stages of development, therefore imposing a linkage would cause problems to some of them," said Fong who was also the chairperson of the two-day meeting which ended today.

Don't punish

Asean also urged ILO not to punish Burma over its forced labour, saying that Burma had taken various steps, in terms of issuing directives and legislative action to resolve the problems.

"Myanmar (Burma) assured Asean that they are working as hard as they can. We hope ILO will support the actions taken by the country's government and not subject them to any punitive action," he said.

Last November, the ILO called on its members - workers and employers' groups, and countries - to review relations with Burma and to ensure that these ties did not help in continuing or extending the practice of forced labour.

Asked whether Asean should have some form of verification before supporting Burma's stand on forced labour, Fong explained that ILO has sent two technical missions to Burma to study the situation there.

"I feel ILO needs to further send technical missions and engage the Myanmar (Burmese) government, so that it can come closer, to resolve the matter," Fong said, adding that the issue had been extensively discussed in the meeting.

When pressed further that ILO has pursued the forced labour issue in Burma for over a decade, and that it is better for Asean countries to verify it before defending Burma, Fong replied that the Malaysian government has always held dialogues with the Burmese government to convey its concern.

"Myanmar (Burma) has explained in great detail the steps to eradicate forced labour. We hope ILO would take the actions by that government seriously and positively, and support the type of measures implemented by the government to improve the labour condition in the country," he replied.

Market mechanism

The Asean ministers also urged their East Asians counterparts "to give their support in seeking the understanding of the ILO" on the forced labour issue when the body meets next month.

Asked whether Asean will have a regional labour standard since the present ones are not up to international levels, Fong said that the member countries have agreed to upgrade their respective labour standards.

In reaction to a question of foreign workers being exploited in Malaysia, Fong said "he was not sure about the allegation that these workers were being paid less as compared to locals", adding that "Malaysia follows the market mechanism".

Fong also stressed that the Employment Act of Malaysia states no differentiation in pay between foreign and local workers.

"If we find such cases then they ( the employers) will face action under the law," Fong said.