According to MPOA chief executive officer, Datuk Mohd Nageeb, there is an estimated shortage of more than 75,000 workers in the palm oil industry. — AFP photo
KUCHING (Sept 12): The Sarawak Oil Palm Plantation Owners Association (SOPPOA) fully supports the recent call by Malaysian Palm Oil Association (MPOA) to lift the freeze on foreign workers recruitment for the palm oil industry in Malaysia.
According to MPOA chief executive officer, Datuk Mohd Nageeb, there is an estimated shortage of more than 75,000 workers in the palm oil industry.
According to SOPPOA chief executive officer Dr Felix Moh in a statement yesterday, the shortage of workers in Sarawak’s palm oil industry is even more critical due to the low population of Sarawak as well as the restriction on allowing only Indonesian foreign workers for the palm oil industry in Sarawak. The border between Sarawak and Indonesia has been closed since March 2020 due to Covid-19 concerns.
“As only Indonesian workers are allowed, the palm oil industry in Sarawak is severely restricted unlike in Peninsular Malaysia where other foreign nationals are allowed to work in palm oil industry. The competition for foreign workers in Sarawak also comes from the Oil and Gas sector, construction, timber and manufacturing industries, driving recruitment fees even higher and also cases of absconding,” he stated adding that Sarawak also has the largest area planted with oil palm compared other states, compounding the workers shortage here.
The loss mentioned by MPOA not only affect government revenue but also palm oil companies whose losses are even more critical as much investments had been put into planting, setting up of mills and refineries as well as logistical assets which all involve loan repayments.
He went on to explain that unlike manufacturing and other industries, it is not easy to train new workers in the palm oil industry as there are different aspects of work with each requiring certain sets of skills and training. Moreover, loss of crops due to lack of harvesters cannot be recovered as the rotten fruits have no value and have to be written off.
“It is timely for the government to seriously consider the current dire conditions of the palm oil industry in Sarawak due to the workers shortage. The longer the issue is left unsolved the higher will be the losses for the government and palm oil industry.”
“There are definitely ways to ensure new foreign workers entering Sarawak are fully vaccinated and screened through quarantine periods so they are safe to work here,” he opined.
It is also a fact that the Covid pandemic will be around for months or even years and the palm oil industry in Sarawak cannot survive without new workers, he added.
Moh suggested the authorities lend a helping hand to the palm oil industry by working out the safest and fastest way to allow foreign workers in before damage to the palm oil industry reaches critical stage of abandonment.