MIRI – The plantation, infrastructure, and housing construction industries in Sarawak are facing a serious shortage of workers as Indonesian labourers are no longer seeking jobs here en masse.
State Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg today warned that the situation will get worse if a local solution is not found.
“We can no longer rely on foreign workers from Indonesia. They are no longer coming into Sarawak in big numbers as required by our major economic sectors.
“Our plantation sectors are already feeling the serious impact as Indonesian plantation workers are focusing on the many projects blooming in their new capital of Nusantara (in Kalimantan).
“Our construction industry is also facing similar worries on labour needs. We in Sarawak have no choice but to look at local ways to reduce dependency on foreign workers.
“We will need to go very big in automation and robotics to reduce dependency on labourers,” he said.
Abang Johari was speaking at a dinner gathering organised by the Sarawak Housing and Real Estate Developers Association in Kuching last night.
He said robotics technology would be the way forward out of the labour shortage.
Abang Johari cited the case of a major oil palm plantation company that had acquired harvesting equipment with robotics abilities to pluck fresh fruit bunches from trees.
“This robotic technology needs to be developed further in Sarawak.
“We have to look at all methods available to overcome the worker shortage that we are facing,” he said.
Recently, Bintulu MP and Dudong assemblyman Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing urged Sarawakians to take up the many employment opportunities mushrooming again all over the state post-pandemic.
The Progressive Democratic Party president said the state cannot keep relying on foreign workers as there are not enough of them to fill local vacancies. – The Vibes, August 11, 2022
