The Malaysian Insight

GLOVE manufacturer WRP Asia Pacific Sdn Bhd (WRP) received cash injection of RM3.25 million last Friday from private equity fund TAEL Partners to pay its employees their outstanding salaries, the company’s lawyers said today.

“The board of directors has prioritised clearing overdue payments to non-executives and factory workers first with payments to executive staff scheduled in the week ahead,” Thomas Philip Advocates and Solicitors said in a statement today.

The payments will be made tomorrow and the day after, the firm said. 

The payments will settle the outstanding salaries due to 1,178 foreign workers who had been irregularly employed in now liquidated companies personally associated with members of the previous management, said the law firm’s managing director, Mathew Thomas Philip.

He said there remains “many outstanding issues” created by the previous management.

“This is to be expected during such corporate exercises and we will not let the numerous rumours and resistance distract us from the real work.

“I urge all stakeholders to not be swayed by twisted facts and false narratives,” he added.

The WRP Asia Pacific board is in talks with various other stakeholders to resolve outstanding matters, including overdue payment of utilities, renegotiating payment terms with creditors, and rescheduling deliverables to existing customers.

The company said it aims to resume operations soon.

WRP Asia Pacific describes itself on its website as a world leading manufacturer and exporter of premium quality glove products.

The company suspended its operations on January 1 due to financial difficulties, three months after the company products was banned by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency on suspicion of they were made using forced labour.

In a previous statement, Mathew said the glove maker was mismanaged by the former CEO Lee Son Hong, who was sacked on November 20.

“With scant regard for the company or its employees, on June 17, 2019, Datuk Lee conspired to wind up the company and there is presently an action in court for conspiracy to injure.”

The company board has also filed an action against Lee for criminal breach of trust involving RM8.4 million. – January 12, 2020.