Proposal to recruit African workers ‘dropped’
Human Resources Minister M. Kula Segaran said the suggestion to source for African workers to work in Malaysian plantations will be dropped.
He said his comments on hiring African workers after a dialogue session with farmers in Cameron Highlands on Friday had been taken out of context and blown out of proportion.
He added that the issue of taking in African workers arose when the farmers had complained that they were in need of foreign workers, and suggested that the government consider employing workers from African countries in which Malaysia had heavily invested.
“This seemed an understandable suggestion given the reasons for the labour shortfall in estates in Malaysia and the fact that we are invested considerably in Africa.
“It was in this context that at the town hall session, I floated the idea that the government may have to look to Africa to shore up the labour shortfall in plantation agriculture in Malaysia.”
Kula added that cabinet approval for the suggestion had not been given.
“As the prime minister has said, there is no necessity to bring in workers from Africa.
“Thus, I will inform the plantation owners that the whole suggestion to bring in foreign workers to Malaysia will be dropped,” he added.
Kula had been reported as saying that the government would consider taking in foreign workers from African countries to accommodate requirements in the plantation sector.
He had said this was because foreign workers from Vietnam and Indonesia no longer expressed interest to work in Malaysia as wages were not too different from their countries of origin.
Kula had also said he had been discussing with ambassadors of African nations, adding that they would get the views of their respective governments on the matter.
In response, Dr Mahathir, during a Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration in Langkawi on Saturday, had said the proposal to bring in workers from Africa was “merely a suggestion”.