KUCHING: There is an urgent need to streamline the recruitment process and procedures, in view of the current shortage of workers in the oil palm industry.
Such streamlining should be able to expedite the applications which in turn, would enable companies to get their workers in timely manner.
These were the remarks made by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg in receiving a courtesy call from the council members of Sarawak Oil Palm Plantation Owners Association (Soppoa) at his office here recently.
Abang Johari also requested industry players to work together with the state government in facilitating their recruitment process, which would appropriately address the problem of not having enough workers.
“We had a fruitful discussion with the chief minister, where we highlighted issues that had been affecting the industry. The chief minister had promised to look into these issues,” said Soppoa chairman Tiong Chiong Ong, who led the visiting delegation.
He said the chief minister also urged the industry to focus more on research and development (R&D) in the form of mechanisation, robotics and other means not only to lessen the dependency on workers, but also for the industry to become more competitive.
“He (Abang Johari) expressed his hope that the industry would continue to safeguard the environment and that the state would also look at providing funds for R&D activities aimed at improving yields and productivity,” added Tiong.
Moving forward, the industry would continue to ensure that the smallholders would also benefit from the R&D activities run by Soppoa in collaboration with government agencies and also institutions of higher learning here, he said.
“In particular, more R&D activities are expected to be centred on understanding the causes of low productivity (yields) in regions along the coastal belt of the state.
“Soppoa has also requested the government to improve the ports and also logistics at major ports across the state to facilitate efficient palm oil trade in Sarawak, which should be growing as more planted areas come into maturity in the coming years.”
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas was also present at the Chief Minister’s Office during the courtesy call.