Nation
Sunday January 20, 2008
By STEPHEN THEN
MIRI: Foreign workers are “colonising” plantations and estates in all parts of Malaysia rapidly.
More than 500,000 workers out of the 800,000 currently employed in these vital sectors are foreigners. And this trend is getting worse every year because, as more jobs are created, more foreign workers are needed.
The Government is worried with the latest statistics because there is a real danger that foreign workers will totally dominate these sectors soon if Malaysians continue to reject these jobs.
“Foreigners are taking over jobs in plantations and estates. This is a sad scenario because many of these jobs are highly-skilled and offer vast opportunities for career advancement,” Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Peter Chin Fah Kui said yesterday.
“Commodities like palm oil, rubber and timber are fetching very high prices in the world now.
“Workers in these sectors are also increasingly getting better pay and other fringe benefits like housing and food.
“Malaysians give plantation jobs low priority. This misconception has resulted in more foreigners taking over these jobs every year,” he said.
“We must reverse this trend or else our plantations and estates will end up being controlled by foreigners.”
Chin said his ministry would go on a major roadshow to entice students, graduates and youths to take up jobs in the commodities-related fields.
The roadshow will start in Miri next month before proceeding to cities and towns in other states.
He said plantation jobs were not as physically demanding as most people think as many plantations and estates had embraced a range of technology that reduced the need for manual labour.
“The working environment is actually very good. Workers like agronomists and biotechnologists enjoy nice, air-conditioned workplaces and get nice houses to stay in,” he added.
