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
Forum Umrah dan Ziarah 2024 kini bermula
Setiap tahun, jutaan umat Islam mengembara ke Mekah dan Madinah untuk mengerjakan umrah.
Bagi mencari penyelesaian yang bermakna buat jemaah, Forum Umrah & Ziarah 2024 menjadi medan penting dalam mengumpulkan semua pemain industri serta pakar berkaitan pendekatan yang lebih baik untuk pengalaman umrah yang bermakna.
#UmrahZiarah2024
Bagi mencari penyelesaian yang bermakna buat jemaah, Forum Umrah & Ziarah 2024 menjadi medan penting dalam mengumpulkan semua pemain industri serta pakar berkaitan pendekatan yang lebih baik untuk pengalaman umrah yang bermakna.
#UmrahZiarah2024
Break The Siege: Turki terus diasak kuasa besar untuk batalkan misi
Wartawan Syaff Shukri membawakan perkembangan terkini misi Break The Siege of Gaza Freedom Flotilla di mana Kerajaan Turki dilaporkan terus dilobi beberapa negara kuasa besar bagi membatalkan Misi Break The Siege of Gaza Freedom Flotilla yang dijadual berlepas pada 24 April 2024.
Perkembangan dari Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun
Semua jenazah nahas dua buah helikopter milik Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia (TLDM) yang terhempas di Pangkalan TLDM pagi tadi selamat tiba di Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun (HRPB), Ipoh tepat jam 6.00 petang tadi.
Difahamkan, proses bedah siasat akan dijalankan di hospital berkenaan.
Perkembangan lanjut, kita bersama Ridauddin Daud yang kini berada di Ipoh.
Difahamkan, proses bedah siasat akan dijalankan di hospital berkenaan.
Perkembangan lanjut, kita bersama Ridauddin Daud yang kini berada di Ipoh.
Mahkamah dengar rayuan Rosmah pada 23, 24 Oktober
Pendengaran rayuan Datin Rosmah Mansor terhadap sabitan, hukuman penjara 10 tahun dan denda RM970 juta bagi kes rasuah di Mahkamah Rayuan ditetapkan dua hari bermula 23 Oktober.
Promoter dipenjara 10 tahun, denda RM6,000
Seorang promoter wanita dihukum penjara 10 tahun dan denda RM6,000 oleh Mahkamah Sesyen Balik Pulau selepas dia mengaku bersalah atas pertuduhan menyimbah air panas ke atas seorang lelaki kurang upaya (sindrom down) dalam kejadian di dalam lif sebuah pangsapuri di Bayan Lepas Jumaat lalu.
AWANI Borneo [23/04/2024] – Selamat jalan pemimpin negara | Hasil negeri | Mendiang cucu yang bertanggunggjawab
Laporan berita padat dan ringkas dari Borneo bersama Jasmine Abu Bakar
#AWANIBorneo 23 April 2024
- Jasad mendiang Tan Sri Joseph Kurup selamat dikebumikan
- Jongkong emas bernilai RM585 juta dijual hasil lombong di Tawau
- Mendiang Felicia seorang cucu yang bertanggungjawab
#AWANInews
#AWANIBorneo 23 April 2024
- Jasad mendiang Tan Sri Joseph Kurup selamat dikebumikan
- Jongkong emas bernilai RM585 juta dijual hasil lombong di Tawau
- Mendiang Felicia seorang cucu yang bertanggungjawab
#AWANInews
Awie anggap bayaran rendah untuk artis veteran satu penghinaan
Pengarah filem Rebel itu juga mengajak penggiat seni untuk mengenang kembali perjuangan para artis senior suatu ketika dahulu.
Nahas helikopter Lumut: Joanna seorang penyayang, sentiasa dahulukan keluarga
Sedih dan muram namun reda, itu yang dapat dilihat pada wajah ahli keluarga mendiang Joanna Felicia Rohna sejurus mendapat perkhabaran duka tragedi pemergiannya pada pagi Selasa.
Meta tawarkan sistem operasi yang menguasakan Quest kepada pengeluar lain
Ini sekali gus menjadikan Horizon OS akan menerajui arena set realiti maya, lebih kurang seperti Android yang menguasakan telefon pintar.
Nahas helikopter Lumut: Sepupu suami pelakon Eyra Hazali turut terkorban
Pelakon Eyra Hazali memaklumkan salah seorang mangsa nahas helikopter melibatkan anggota Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia (TLDM) yang berlaku di Lumut pagi tadi merupakan ahli keluarganya.
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.