Mediceram chairman Arumugam Suppiah and activist Andy Hall said this followed an updated settlement agreement concerning workplace issues raised by more than 190 of the Bangladeshi workers.

In a joint statement today, they said Mediceram had pledged to urgently address the concerns raised, including the renewal of the workers’ visas, and expediting paying back the recruitment costs they incurred.

“As an expression of the company’s enhanced commitment to more effective workplace social dialogue to prevent future disputes, Mediceram has set up an independent hotline to receive workers’ concerns, to complement the democratically elected workplace worker committee.

“Mediceram and Hall once again agreed to more effective engagement together to ensure there is proper implementation by both parties of the updated agreement between the workers and the management,” they said.

On March 6 and 18, the Bangladeshi workers staged two rounds of strikes to protest against contributions paid to agents in Bangladesh and unresolved passport and visa issues.

The company has since agreed to pay each worker RM22,500 over an eight-month period, though it was not obligated to under Malaysian law.