Zuraida: Use automation to cut down foreign workers dependency

0

Zuraida said the use of greater automation will help to reduce dependency on foreign workers and make the country’s palm oil industry more resilient in the long run. – Photo by Chimon Upon

KUCHING (June 18): The Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities (MPIC) is encouraging plantation owners to increase the use of automation technology to cut down dependency on foreign workers.

Its minister Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin said the use of greater automation will help to reduce dependency on foreign workers and make the country’s palm oil industry more resilient in the long run.

“The usage of automation at plantations will attract local workers to this sector,” she said in a statement.

She said MPIC believes that a greater uptake in automation can help position palm oil as the preferred edible oil globally, in line with the ongoing Malaysian Palm Oil Full of Goodness campaign.

At the same time, she said, the ministry is aware of the woes faced by the Malaysian Estate Owners Association (MEOA) where a severe labour crunch of about 120,000 workers is said to be capable of causing losses in earnings by up to 5-10 per cent.

“All parties should be aware that among the main reasons for the shortage of manpower in the plantation sector was due to the closure of international borders to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the country and protect the people from the infectious disease,” said Zuraida.

According to her, MPIC feelt that the current labour crunch in the palm oil sector will spur planters to start investing in technological tools and boost their own bottom lines in the long-run.

With that being said, the ministry is currently working closely with the Human Resources Ministry, Wisma Putra, the Immigration Department and the Co-operative Commission Malaysia and others to look into ways to expeditiously resolve the issue.

“MPIC will continue to seek solutions to overcome the manpower shortage in the plantation sector especially in palm oils,” she said.

Previously in September 2021, the government had approved plans to bring in over 32,000 migrant workers for palm oil estates nationwide whilst remaining cautiously optimistic in achieving the target with the issue of permits coming to attention.

Zuraida advised plantation owners to be open to hire workers from countries like India and Pakistan, and to not be highly dependent on workers from Indonesia and Bangladesh.