Former minister calls for govt action amid Goodyear plant closure allegation

PETALING JAYA: Former minister Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz has called for an immediate government response to the closure of Goodyear Malaysia's manufacturing plant in Shah Alam.

Rafidah said this in response to a viral social media post suggesting the imminent closure of Goodyear Malaysia's 52-year-old manufacturing plant in Shah Alam, Selangor effective June 30.

Expressing her surprise at the news, Rafidah said it was a shock to read about a long-standing player in the industrial sector deciding to cease operations in Malaysia.

"It prompts us to delve into the reasons behind this decision,” she said in a Facebook post on Thursday (March 7).

“The government needs to promptly address such developments. While discussions about potential investments are ongoing, it is crucial to ensure that existing industrial and business entities remain in the country and do not relocate to other nations.”

“These commitments should cover various aspects such as site location specifics, workforce composition including managerial, executive, skilled, and unskilled workers, export-oriented or domestic market focus, as well as projections on annual sales volume, joint ventures, and other pertinent information," she added.

In an alleged internal memo leak, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company’s Asia Pacific president Nathaniel Madarang referred to the closure as part of the company’s “transformation programme” and revealed that around 550 positions in its Malaysian operation would be impacted.

The Shah Alam plant has been operational since 1972 and has been an integral part of Goodyear's presence in the region.

Rafidah urged the government to investigate the increasing number of companies shutting down their operations in Malaysia, questioning their relocation destinations and the driving factors behind their decision to cease operations in the country.

“We need to analyse the reasons that led to these shutdowns and relocations,” said Rafidah.