KUALA LUMPUR – In a bid to overcome labour shortage, Sime Darby Plantation Bhd flew more than 100 workers from Bangladesh to Malaysia yesterday, reported Reuters.
The company was quoted as saying that the pilot programme was being “conducted in collaboration with the Malaysian government to put return-to-work plans in motion in a controlled and safe manner”.
Sime Darby Plantation said the chartered flight brought back 123 of its Bangladeshi employees who returned home before the pandemic and were unable to come to Malaysia when the country imposed the closure of its borders.
The company said all Covid-19 standard operating procedures, including a seven-day quarantine, were adhered to. It added that Sime Darby Plantation borne all costs for the programme.
Malaysia has temporarily banned bringing in new foreign labour since the middle of last year, in an effort to keep employment open for Malaysians.
However, employers say locals often shun jobs that are considered dirty, dangerous and difficult, especially in manufacturing, construction and plantations. – The Vibes, April 9, 2021
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