KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Timber Industries Association welcomes the move taken by the state government in opening up recruitment of foreign workers from four other source countries namely Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar and Vietnam.
The association has in the past raised many issues with regards to recruitment of foreign workers including shortage and difficulties in getting sufficient suitable workers, documentation red-tapes and high recruitment cost.
The fate of the wood based sector is similar to the other sectors that employ foreign workers from the Philippines and Indonesia as currently sources are scarce.
The association is confident that this announcement will address at least one of the concerns raised ie shortage of workers — provided the wood
based manufacturing sectors are included in the category of sectors
allowed to employ these workers.
Currently, only those in the plantation sector are considered under ‘forestry’ while those in the wood based processing including furniture are categorised under the “manufacturing” sector based on the different
rate of foreign workers levy.
President of STIA, Ybhg Datuk Hwong in a statement yesterday echoed the call made by Datuk Susan Wong, president of the Sabah Housing and Real Estate Developers Association and Datuk Wong Khen Thau, FSM president recently that the new ruling must be extended to the manufacturing and construction sectors.
Currently the wood based industry including those in downstream processing and furniture manufacturing are in dire need of skilled and
semi-skilled workers as not many locals are interested to work in this sector which is considered as 3D, dusty, dangerous and dirty.
Due to its unique nature of processing, the wood based industry is still very dependent on foreign workers.
Automation is almost impossible in many areas of production such as colour sorting and visual grading of timbers.
James reiterated that the timber industry will continue to play an important role in the economic development of the state and hope the state government will consider the request made by Shareda, FSM and STIA.