Malaysia still needs more than 500,000 workers in the plantation and commodity sectors, despite an estimated 220,000 locals and 265,397 foreigners currently employed in the industry, according to the Plantation Industries and Commodity Ministry.
Its minister Datuk Dr Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali said Malaysia needs one million workers in the sector to work on its 7.14 million hectares of plantation land.
At present, the entry of foreign workers in the sector had been halted following the COVID-19 pandemic, thus giving the country a chance to fill the vacant position with locals.
“If we talk about the introduction of new foreign workers in the sector, it will not happen in the near future because we have restricted their entry until further notice.
“The current batch of foreign workers are those who have a work permit. We maintained with what we have (foreign workers) and when their permit ends, they will be sent back to their respective countries. This is the opportunity for us to replace them (foreign workers) with locals," he said during Bernama TV's "Ruang Bicara" programme aired last night.
The plantation and commodity sectors according to him, was still unable to attract the interest of locals due to the lack of incentives offered to them to be involved with the 3D (dirty, dangerous and difficult) sector.
“Previously, employers may not have the motivation to open up 3D the sector to locals. At present, the need to recruit locals is huge," he said.
Meanwhile, the government also encouraged locals, especially youths to become entrepreneurs in various commodity sectors such as kenaf, bamboo, cocoa, oil palm, rubber and others.
The government, he said, provided a grant of RM8,000 for the cultivation of cocoa.
Malaysia is one of the top cocoa exporter and the fifth-largest cocoa grinder in the world, he said adding that, he has directed his officers to look for sites to be a centre for chocolate, for Malaysians to see Malaysian-made chocolate products.
"We will be expanding (the centre) all over Malaysia," he said.
For kenaf cultivation, the government according to the minister had provided a grant of RM2,350 per hectare.
He also said, although there are about 400,000 rubber smallholders and registered rubber tappers, only a handful of them are still active, he said.
Between January and April this year, there were 60,000 to 70,000 rubber smallholders and tappers who had claimed the Rubber Production Incentive (IPG), he said.
The minister said, there has been a high demand for the commodity especially from rubber glove manufacturers due to increased orders from around the world following the COVID-19 pandemic.
The government according to Mohd Khairuddin, was also looking at ways to increase the involvement of rubber smallholders in the downstream and upstream sectors.
-- BERNAMA
Bernama
Thu May 21 2020
Malaysia needs one million workers in the sector to work on its 7.14 million hectares of plantation land. File picture
Nahas helikopter Lumut: Hina anggota TLDM terkorban, polis siasat Saifuddin Shafik
Polis menyiasat pemilik akaun, Saifuddin Shafik yang dipercayai memuat naik hantaran jelik berkaitan insiden kemalangan melibatkan helikopter TLDM.
SSPA terbaik pernah diperkenalkan kerajaan - PM Anwar
Beliau berkata, usaha tersebut diharap dapat menjadi motivasi buat penjawat awam untuk meningkatkan produktiviti, dan memberikan perkhidmatan terbaik kepada rakyat.
Kes model sambilan bunuh teman lelaki: Tarikh baharu sebutan ditetap 28 Mei
Mahkamah Majistret menetapkan 28 Mei ini sebagai tarikh baharu sebutan kes seorang model sambilan wanita yang didakwa membunuh teman lelakinya.
Pantau Agenda Reformasi: Misi Break The Siege: Freedom Flotilla to Gaza
Pantau Agenda Reformasi hari ini membawakan Profesor Hubungan Antarabangsa di Fakulti Undang-Undang dan Hubungan Antarabangsa di UNISZA, Prof Dr Mohd Afandi Salleh, yang juga merupakan bekas peserta misi Flotilla ke Gaza pada 2018, berkongsi pengalamannya ketika ditahan pihak rejim Israel sewaktu misi tersebut. Antara lain perbincangan tertumpu ke arah aspek hubungan antarabangsa serta undang-undang di perairan antarabangsa.
Nahas helikopter Lumut: Mindef pertimbang keperluan teliti SOP latihan udara - Mohamed Khaled
Mindef akan mempertimbangkan keperluan untuk meneliti semula SOP latihan udara membentuk formasi penerbangan lintas hormat bagi mengelak tragedi.
Keselamatan siber: Keterangkuman, kepelbagaian perkasa sumbangan wanita
Wanita harus mula memberi fokus dan penekanan terhadap keterangkuman dan kepelbagaian perspektif bagi membolehkan mereka menangani cabaran industri dengan berkesan.
Penyerang Kamal Adli dijatuhkan hukuman lebih 2 tahun oleh mahkamah Singapura
Lelaki yang menyerang pelakon Malaysia, Kamal Adli menggunakan belantan tahun lepas, dijatuhkan hukuman penjara dua tahun, empat bulan dan dua minggu.
Peruntukan pembangkang: Terserah Muhyiddin untuk persoal keikhlasan kerajaan - Fadillah
Beliau enggan melayani sindiran bekas Perdana Menteri yang juga Pengerusi Perikatan Nasional, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin tentang isu tersebut.
SPRM jangka ada beberapa tangkapan isu tuntutan palsu anak menteri besar - Azam
SPRM akan membuat beberapa tangkapan lagi, berhubung kes melibatkan anak seorang menteri besar bagi membantu siasatan kes tuntutan palsu berjumlah RM600,000.
SPRM akan panggil beberapa lagi individu bantu siasatan
Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM) akan memanggil beberapa lagi individu bagi membantu siasatan dakwaan pemalsuan dokumen tuntutan berjumlah RM600,000 melibatkan lima individu termasuk anak seorang Menteri Besar.
Annuar Musa warns of stern action against irresponsible contractors
Annuar said ongoing inspections would be conducted by DBKL and CIDB to ensure that all construction sites in the federal capital are free of COVID-19 infections.