Plantation firms must hire TVET grads before foreign workers
Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani said industry players must provide proof of their efforts to hire TVET graduates to the ministry before they are permitted to recruit foreign workers.
'We are currently facing a situation where many industries are unwilling to hire graduates who have completed their training. They are reluctant to provide these students with the opportunity to gain practical experience because they prefer to take the easier route.
'Although the government has approved foreign workers for the plantation sector, I will not allow it unless industry players contribute to our local youth,' he said when met at the Dialog@MPIC session here today.
Johari said the ministry will train about 250 TVET students annually in the plantation sector, and they will be placed in the industry based on the specific needs of the industry players.
He said industry players must train these students until they become skilled and future specialists in the plantation sector.
'I want to commend Sime Darby and FGV for their dedicated initiatives to provide accommodation and decent salaries for young individuals who did not attend university. These youths can earn a salary of RM2,500 if they develop their skills and complete a TVET Level 3 qualification, and in another eight months, they could earn up to RM3,500.
'...we must support these students in developing their careers. Otherwise, we're abandoning these youths, and that's not what we promised. Some industry players even refuse to hire them, and that's why I want to enforce this prerequisite. Currently, we depend on nearly 260,000 foreign workers to manage our plantations,' he said.
Johari said the sector is vital as it represents the world's third-largest export industry, and within the national commodity sector, Malaysia exports approximately RM168 billion. He emphasised the need for industry players to take responsibility for mentoring and supporting these young talents.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
7 hours ago
- The Star
Tanjung Puteri apartment owner ordered to return deposit
Tavaseelan says many issues cropped up at the Tanjung Puteri apartment, prompting him and his brother to leave. A HOTEL manager in Singapore filed a case with Johor Consumer Claims Tribunal after the owner of his tenanted unit refused to refund part of his deposit. Claimant A. Tavaseelan said they had left the unit on April 17 and handed over the keys of the apartment located at Jalan Bukit Meldrum in Tanjung Puteri, Johor Baru, to the respondent on April 30. Tavaseelan and his brother A. Rueben Raj, who works as an engineer in Singapore, were co-tenants. They moved into the unit on April 30, 2023, and the monthly rental was set at RM2,200 for the first year. 'The rental was increased to RM2,700 when we renewed the tenancy agreement on April 30, 2024. 'However, our unit was located above the swimming pool and the foul smell which emanated from the toilets there permeated our unit,' said the claimant, adding the owner did not disclose this prior to renting out the unit. Tavaseelan also said fungus started to appear on the walls of the unit in the second year. 'We were away for three weeks and only discovered this when we returned from abroad,' he said, adding that the owner did not do anything when informed of the situation. Tavaseelan and Rueben Raj decided to move out and the owner agreed to return their deposit of RM7,017 after determining the unit was left in a good condition. Tavaseelan said the respondent delayed refunding the deposit. 'The respondent only refunded RM1,585.70 on May 30, after she received a notice from the Tribunal to attend the hearing,'' he said when met outside the tribunal in Menara Ansar. Tribunal president Hafez Zalkapli ordered the respondent to refund RM5,471 to the claimant within two weeks. Those who need assistance can call 07-227 1755 or 07-227 1766 or visit the Tribunal office at Level 17, Menara Ansar, Jalan Trus, Johor Baru.
The Star
7 hours ago
- The Star
Beijing offers childcare subsidies to boost fertility
Beijing rolled out an annual childcare subsidy of 3,600 yuan (about RM2,120) until age three, as authorities look to spur a flagging birth rate with fewer young people choosing to have children. The high cost of childcare and education as well as job uncertainty and a slowing economy are among the concerns that have discouraged many young Chinese from getting married and starting a family. Subsidies will start from this year, with partial subsidies for children under three born prior to 2025, in a policy expected to benefit more than 20 million families of toddlers and infants, the official Xinhua news agency said on Monday. The plan is an 'important national livelihood policy' and direct cash subsidies would help 'reduce the cost of family childbirth and parenting', the National Health Commission said. Demographers and economists said while the move was positive, the amount was likely too small to incentivise people to have children. The country's population fell for a third consecutive year in 2024, with experts warning of a worsening downturn, after decades of falling birth rates following a one-child policy adopted from 1980 to 2015, coupled with rapid urbanisation. In the past two years, provinces nationwide have started handing out childcare subsidies in amounts that vary considerably, from 1,000 yuan (RM589) a child to up to 100,000 yuan (RM58,940), including housing subsidies. The government will fund the new national policy instead of local authorities, Xinhua said. Zichun Huang, China Economist at Capital Economics, said the sums involved were too small to have a near-term impact on the birth rate or consumption. 'But the policy does mark a major milestone in terms of direct handouts to households and could lay the groundwork for more fiscal transfers in future.' A nationwide scheme may offer some coordination and signal greater central commitment, said demographer Emma Zang, a professor at Yale University, but called for greater efforts. 'Without sustained structural investment in areas like affordable childcare, parental leave, and job protections for women, the effect on fertility is likely to remain minimal,' she added. — Reuters
The Star
8 hours ago
- The Star
Unified approach to beat child sex crimes
KUALA LUMPUR: An inter-agency and cross-ministerial effort will be taken to combat the issue of child sex abuse cases, says Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (pic). The Deputy Prime Minister said the issue of sexual crimes against children – which surged from 2,541 cases in 2020 to 3,892 cases in 2024, which is an increase of 53.2% – needs serious attention. The number of victims also increased from 2,561 people to 3,988 people, which is an increase of 55.7% in the same period, he said in a statement after chairing the National Social Council (NSC) meeting yesterday. Ahmad Zahid said a seminar on child protection and overcoming child sexual and cybercrimes will also be held in November. He said the coordinated efforts against such crimes will involve agencies such as the police, and Home, Youth and Sports, and Women, Family and Community Development ministries. 'This is to address the issue in a comprehensive, stringent and effective manner. The development of technology and the industrial revolution have led to an increasingly sophisticated criminal modus operandi, including the use of deepfake technology and digital identity theft,' he said. On July 7, The Star quoted Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department's (CID) sexual, women and child investigation division (D11) as saying that there has been a huge spike in child sex abuse cases with 11,479 cases reported between 2022 and April this year. The NSC also studied the implementation of the National Social Policy 2030 and the Action Plan 2026-2030 which is currently in the final phases and will be tabled to the Cabinet in October. The council also looked into the issue of mental health among the homeless who could not receive proper treatment and intervention due to the lack of special homes. 'The council supports the Health Ministry's initiative to set up a task force to build special psychiatric nursing homes,' he said. The meeting reviewed and proposed the formation of a Special Committee for Islamic Pre-School Education to coordinate issues related to registration, safety, health as well as curriculum and teacher strategy. 'This is a strategic step towards a more structured and effective early childhood education system,' he added. On the issue of job mismatch that has affected some two million graduates, Ahmad Zahid said the MyMAHIR initiative under the Human Resources Ministry and TalentCorp has been launched to address this. 'So far, a total of 66 industry-based training programmes have been approved under the MyMAHIR Future Skills Talent Council, covering high-impact sectors such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence (AI), data analytics, and the green economy. 'These programmes not only provide high-skilled training but also come with job guarantees, offering starting salaries averaging between RM3,000 and RM6,000 per month,' he said. Ahmad Zahid said the NSC will serve as the main coordinating body for national social policy. 'The implementation of DSN 2030 must be driven in a targeted and high-impact manner, with regular monitoring, measurable impact, and strong accountability by all agencies,' he said. The council will also be expanded to involve more ministries, including Energy Transition and Water Transformation; Agriculture and Food Security; Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability; Tourism, Arts and Culture; as well as the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories).
