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Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – June, 2025
Japanese multinational corporation Sony has extended financial assistance to 283 Bangladeshi migrant workers in Malaysia who were reportedly subjected to exploitative labor conditions, including going without pay for seven months while employed by a separate company, Kawaguchi Manufacturing Sdn Bhd.
The support was confirmed by International Rights Advocates (IRAdvocates), a U.S.-based human rights organization, which praised Sony for taking “meaningful and proactive steps” to aid the affected workers. While the exact amount of financial aid provided was not disclosed, IRAdvocates described the assistance as “much-needed.”
“This is an example of a multinational corporation taking real responsibility to address abuses in its supply chain,” said Terrence Collingsworth, Executive Director of IRAdvocates. “Sony’s response sets a strong precedent and represents a sincere commitment to human rights beyond corporate statements.”
According to IRAdvocates, Sony was one of the downstream clients of Kawaguchi Manufacturing, the employer under scrutiny. When allegations of labor exploitation and unpaid wages emerged, Sony reportedly engaged with Kawaguchi to demand corrective action and subsequently terminated its business relationship with the company.
Background on the Case
In December 2024, Kawaguchi Manufacturing came under fire after 283 Bangladeshi workers staged a peaceful protest outside the company’s facility in Port Klang. The workers alleged they had not received wages for seven consecutive months. Five days after the protest, Kawaguchi agreed to settle the outstanding salaries. Malaysia’s labour authorities later confirmed that they would assist in reallocating the workers to other employers.
Human rights advocate Andy Hall, who brought the case to the attention of IRAdvocates in late 2024, also commended Sony’s intervention. “Sony’s financial support is significant. It brings some relief to these workers who remain trapped in severe debt bondage,” he said, referencing the ongoing vulnerabilities migrant workers face in the region.
Hall compared Sony’s actions to those of Daikin Industries Ltd., which in December 2024 provided US$12,000 in emergency aid—along with additional financial assistance—to the same group of affected workers.
Call for Corporate Accountability
The Kawaguchi case has reignited calls for stronger corporate accountability in global supply chains. Collingsworth emphasized that while governments must enforce labor laws, multinational corporations also bear a critical responsibility to ensure ethical labor practices among their suppliers and contractors.
“This case shows what is possible when companies choose accountability over avoidance,” Collingsworth added. “Sony’s response is a model for how brands can engage constructively when rights abuses occur in their supply networks.”
As of now, the Bangladeshi workers continue to face financial and legal uncertainty in Malaysia. Advocacy groups are urging continued support and long-term structural reforms to protect migrant laborers from similar abuses in the future.
