“Malaysia is a small country that has become the largest glove manufacturer in the world. We can manufacture rubber gloves and nitrite gloves.

“We can overcome all allegations that are brought up by other parties such as we are using slavery, child labour and others,” he told reporters after the launch of Pejuang’s manifesto for the Johor elections today.

However, Mahathir did not elaborate on his claims that certain parties were making these false allegations.

Over the last three years, countries like the US and Canada have banned products from six glove manufacturing companies over allegations of child or forced labour but two of them have since been lifted.

The companies that are currently facing the withhold release order (WRO) slapped by the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for alleged forced labour are YTY Industry Holdings Sdn Bhd, Brightway Holdings Sdn Bhd, Smart Glove Corp Sdn Bhd, and Supermax Glove Manufacturing Sdn Bhd.

Top Glove Corp Bhd and WRP Asia Pacific Sdn Bhd had the WRO issued against them in 2020 and 2019, respectively, but they have since been lifted after complying with certain requirements set by the CBP.