Kawaguchi facing charges over unpaid worker wages, says source
PETALING JAYA : The labour department has filed charges against plastic component supplier Kawaguchi Manufacturing Sdn Bhd — now known as Alpha Integral Sdn Bhd — over its alleged failure to pay outstanding wages to 249 former employees, a source said.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the source said the case was called up in court on July 16 but was postponed as the department's officers were unable to serve the summons on the company or its director.
'As a result the court fixed a new date in September to allow the prosecution time to serve the summons,' the source said.
Louis Liaw Chambers, the law firm representing the affected workers, told FMT the charges relate to the company's purported failure to comply with orders issued by a labour court.
Kawaguchi Manufacturing had in December last year agreed to pay the workers their salary arrears in nine instalments, beginning January 15, with the rest due monthly from April 2025 until November 2025.
The agreements were reached after the former workers staged a peaceful protest at the company's factory in Port Klang. They agreements were recorded in orders issued by the labour court.
The company made the first payment, but is alleged to have missed payments due in April, May, June and July.
Last Friday, it was reported that the workers' lawyers had issued the company with a letter of demand giving it until July 21 to settle all overdue payments or risk further legal action.
Kawaguchi Manufacturing is understood not to have responded to the letter or met any of the outstanding payments.
Separately, independent migrant worker rights activist Andy Hall said the labour department's decision to take Kawaguchi Manufacturing to court was 'timely and appropriate'.
'Accountability is essential and deeply personal for the exploited workers in this case,' he said when contacted.
However, Hall expressed concern that victims of 'modern slavery' are still required to fund their own legal representation.
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