Malaysian plantations in jeopardy<\/p>\n
KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Malaysia's oil palm, rubber and cocoa
\nplantations, already bogged down by an acute labor shortage, are
\nfacing a new problem -- an aging workforce, a newspaper reported
\nyesterday.<\/p>\n
Most workers are aged more than 40 while attempts to recruit
\nlocal youths to join the industry have failed, said United
\nPlanting Association of Malaysia (UPAM) chief executive Abdul
\nRahman Mohamed.<\/p>\n
Despite improved amenities and wages, youths were shunning
\nplantation work for the bright lights in the cities which offered
\njobs that were not "as back-breaking", Abdul Rahman was reported
\nsaying by The Star daily.<\/p>\n
There was a shortage of some 87,000 agricultural workers in
\nthe country in 1994, the bulk of 42,000 whom were needed in the
\noil palm sector, 10,000 in rubber estates and 35,000 in cocoa
\nplantations.<\/p>\n
"The situation in the oil palm sector is really bad as apart
\nfrom manpower shortage there is also a lack of ready-made and
\nsuitable equipment for harvesting," he added.<\/p>\n
Abdul Rahman said the situation had forced the industry to
\ncontinue to rely on foreigners since 1977. He urged the
\ngovernment for a faster approval of work permits for foreigners
\nto meet the shortfall.<\/p>\n
Malaysia's rapid economic growth, averaging more than 8
\npercent yearly since 1988, has resulted in a severe labor crunch
\nin the plantations, construction and industrial sectors,
\nattracting an influx of foreign workers.<\/p>\n
Foreign workers now number about two million of the country's
\n8.05 million workforce, the highest ratio of foreign labor to
\nlocal workforce in the region, officials said.<\/p>\n
Of the two million foreigners, an estimated one million were
\nillegally hired mainly from the Philippines, Bangladesh,
\nIndonesia, India, Thailand, Pakistan and Burma, they said.<\/p>\n
The government, which has said the number of illegal
\nimmigrants has reached a critical stage, intensified its
\ncrackdown to flush out such immigrants following the expiry of an
\namnesty on January 31.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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