Employement Foreign Worker
CHAPTER 4
4.1 ORGAZINATION PRACTICES RELATING TO THIS ISSUE
4.1.1 EMPLOYEMENT OF FOREIGN LABOUR IN THE PLANTATION INDUSTRY
In Malaysia the agricultural sector is experiencing a shortage of labour because of the rural to urban migration of youth to work in factories. Although the labour requirement in forest plantations is less then in agriculture it still has to compete for labour in an expanding Malaysian economy where the working conditions in other industries are usually more conducive.
A natural tendency is for the plantation sector to engage foreign workers. The foreign labour recruitment process had never been efficient. The weaknesses have been attributed to inconsistent government policy on foreign workers’ employment coupled with lack of dedication of the foreign workers resulting in extremely high turnover of manpower.
With the Malaysian aim to achieving the status of a developed nation the government has embarked on an aggressive industrialization programmed as a means of achieving the national goal. Such policy coupled with improved educational level among the population since independence has led to a general dislike of manual labour particularly in plantations by local populace. Increasingly the plantation sector relies on foreign workers to fill the void. It is estimated that foreign workers account for some 65% and 90% of the plantation work force in Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah respectively.
The increasing also due to them pays less to the foreign labour. Event though they pay cheap for hiring foreign labour, plantation owners should not just focus on profits but provide also more facilities to attract workers to the industry. Apart from facilities, they should consider housing, opportunities to be more productive and motivation, among others, to entice potential Malaysian workers.
This initiative is in line with the growing involvement of the plantation companies in discharging Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities and in
4.1 ORGAZINATION PRACTICES RELATING TO THIS ISSUE
4.1.1 EMPLOYEMENT OF FOREIGN LABOUR IN THE PLANTATION INDUSTRY
In Malaysia the agricultural sector is experiencing a shortage of labour because of the rural to urban migration of youth to work in factories. Although the labour requirement in forest plantations is less then in agriculture it still has to compete for labour in an expanding Malaysian economy where the working conditions in other industries are usually more conducive.
A natural tendency is for the plantation sector to engage foreign workers. The foreign labour recruitment process had never been efficient. The weaknesses have been attributed to inconsistent government policy on foreign workers’ employment coupled with lack of dedication of the foreign workers resulting in extremely high turnover of manpower.
With the Malaysian aim to achieving the status of a developed nation the government has embarked on an aggressive industrialization programmed as a means of achieving the national goal. Such policy coupled with improved educational level among the population since independence has led to a general dislike of manual labour particularly in plantations by local populace. Increasingly the plantation sector relies on foreign workers to fill the void. It is estimated that foreign workers account for some 65% and 90% of the plantation work force in Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah respectively.
The increasing also due to them pays less to the foreign labour. Event though they pay cheap for hiring foreign labour, plantation owners should not just focus on profits but provide also more facilities to attract workers to the industry. Apart from facilities, they should consider housing, opportunities to be more productive and motivation, among others, to entice potential Malaysian workers.
This initiative is in line with the growing involvement of the plantation companies in discharging Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities and in