KUALA LUMPUR – The government is aware of labour shortages in the plantations sector due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and has introduced two solutions to address the matter, Deputy Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Jeck Seng told the Dewan Rakyat today.
“As a short-term measure, the government has given flexibility to employers, who are affected and unable to continue hiring foreign workers, to transfer or convert all or part of their foreign workers to other companies that are in dire need of manpower through the Employer Exchange Application.
“The government has also launched the Illegal Immigrant Recalibration Plan, which started on November 16, 2020 until June 30, 2021, comprising two main components, namely the Return Recalibration Programme and Labour Recalibration Programme," he said in response to a question from Shaharizukirnain Abd Kadir (PAS-Setiu).
Shaharizukirnain wanted to know the mechanism taken by the ministry to address the negative impact of the shortage of foreign workers in the plantation sector.
Wee said the Return Recalibration Programme allows undocumented migrants to return to their country of origin voluntarily subject to certain conditions, while the Labour Recalibration Programme would give undocumented migrants papers to be legally employed, subject to strict conditions decided by the government.
“The ministry will redouble its efforts to overcome the shortage of workers in the plantation and commodity sectors through a campaign to woo more locals, including Orang Asli, to work in these sectors," he said.
“The ministry is also aware that the shortage of manpower in the plantation and commodity sectors is quite critical and it is feared that it could affect the performance and progress of the country's agriculture industry," he said. – Bernama, December 2, 2020
