Image: Reuters Berita 24 English - Kulim (Malaysia) Berhad has gotten its first "post-pandemic batch" of migrant workers, the pal...
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| Image: Reuters |
Berita 24 English - Kulim (Malaysia) Berhad has gotten its first "post-pandemic batch" of migrant workers, the palm oil planter said on Thursday. This means that more workers will be able to come to Malaysia and help ease a severe labour shortage.
The second largest producer of palm oil in the world is short at least 1.2 million workers in its plantations, manufacturing, and construction industries. This shortage is getting worse every day as the economy recovers from the pandemic.
Even though Malaysia reopened its borders in April, there haven't been many migrant workers coming back because of slow government approvals and long talks with Indonesia and Bangladesh about worker protections.
Kulim said that 37 people from the island of Lombok in Indonesia had arrived on Wednesday evening.
They were the first group of Indonesian migrant workers to enter Malaysia since the borders reopened. Palm oil planters, who are struggling with lower production and a shortage of more than 100,000 workers, had been waiting for them for a long time.
In response to a question from Reuters, Kulim Chief Operating Officer Fairuz Ismail said, "After two years of the pandemic, we can now expect more workers to come in while following the strict rules and procedures."
Hermono, Indonesia's ambassador to Malaysia, told Reuters on Wednesday that only 4,699 workers for the plantation sector have been approved.
Hermono, who like many Indonesians has only one name, said that more workers are expected to come to Malaysia this month.
About 150 plantation workers in Indonesia were not allowed to go to Malaysia last month because their recruiters did not follow the right emigration procedures and most of the workers did not have the right visa.
When asked for a comment, Malaysia's Ministry of Human Resources did not answer right away.
