Daikin Industries Ltd, the world’s largest air-conditioner manufacturer, has contributed US$12,000 to the 251 foreign workers who went without salary for seven months.

The Osaka-based conglomerate said the funds were to purchase food and other related aid, according to migrant labour rights activist Andy Hall.

Hall said Daikin informed him that they were “immediately releasing” the funds today.

He said he is finalising an agreement with a local charity to help with the distribution of the food to the workers at Kawaguchi Manufacturing Sdn Bhd tonight.

The donation comes in the wake of a protest by hundreds of workers outside the Kawaguchi factory in Port Klang earlier today, after they claimed food aid was halted last night...

Hall said the sum would be “sufficient to cover the workers’ essential food costs, and some basic medical aid” for the next seven days.

The time frame coincides with the purported deadline for the labour department to legalise the foreign workers and find them new jobs...