KOTA KINABALU: A Sabah veteran politician and former State minister said a-15-year work permit for skilled palm oil workers will benefit the industry.
Datuk Yap Pak Leong, however, said local community must be given opportunity and priority when employing such workers.
The minister during the Parti Berjaya Rakyat Jelata Sabah (Berjaya) State Government was commenting on a proposal by former Chief Minister Tan Sri Harris Salleh to extend work permit for skilled oil palm workers from one to 15 years.
Harvesting fresh fruit bunches of oil palm is a skilled task thus the palm oil industry will welcome the permit extension.
Speaking to talantang.com today Yap said,” I think the proposal for 15 years work permit is beneficial to Sabah provided conditions like local workers will be given opportunity and priority.
Yap who is a Chartered Accountant pointed out that there were decreasing availabilities of workers on work permit in plantations, agriculture, animal husbandry, constructions, tourism and other related industries.
“One big reason is expenses in obtaining annual work permit. Industry and economy do not move without workers, “ he said, adding that a study of the situation in Singapore showed this well.
Harris in a statement to the local media two days said he expected an outflow of foreign workers from Sabah as Indonesia’s new capital, Nusantara, has plans for an additional five million hectares of oil palm estate.
Nusantara’s population is expected to reach 50 million by 2030, Harris said its plan to add five million hectares of oil palm estate meant it would be looking to hire experienced Indonesian workers presently working in Sabah.
“This is why it is important to keep these workers in Sabah by extending their work permits to 15 years,” he said.
Retaining these harvesters would benefit planters and improve productivity, in turn supporting the Malaysian economy and its tax revenues.
According to data from the statistics department, over 20% (736,000) of Sabah’s 3.4 million population in 2022 were non-citizens, of whom 178,000 were below the age of 15.
Harris had written to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim urging the government to consider his proposal over the present policy, which requires foreign workers to renew their permits annually.
Harris had also proposed the establishment of a provident fund for foreign workers alongside their EPF savings to safeguard their financial future, which would facilitate their return to their home countries after their tenures.
“It is important to note that granting a 15-year work permit does not automatically confer citizenship, but offers employers and employees assurance (of continued manpower),” Harris said.
In 2023, Sabah contributed a quarter of Malaysia’s palm oil production. – Talantang 18 January 2024
