The government is currently studying ways to certify plantation workers, according to Deputy Human Resources Minister Mustapha Sakmud. This is one of the measures being considered to attract locals, particularly young people, to take up jobs in the plantation sector. Mustapha explained that there are several proposals being developed, including the creation of a syllabus for certifying plantation workers. He suggested that they could be certified through the National Skills Certificate, with different qualification levels such as ‘Harvester 1’ or ‘Harvester 2’.
Recognizing the challenge in attracting youth to the plantation sector, Mustapha highlighted the proposal for flexible working hours. He stated that working in plantations all the time could be monotonous, so flexible hours could make the job more appealing. These proposals are currently being studied by the relevant ministries to determine their feasibility and practicality.
Mustapha expressed hope that these measures would help attract more young people to work in plantations and reduce reliance on foreign labor. He was responding to a question raised by Datuk Seri Ismail Abd Muttalib, who pointed out that dirty, dangerous, and difficult (3D) jobs, including those in the plantations, were not enticing to locals. Ismail also inquired about the government’s efforts to improve the appeal of the 3D sector and minimize reliance on foreign workers.
Overall, the government is exploring ways to certify plantation workers, such as through the National Skills Certificate, and considering the implementation of qualification levels like ‘Harvester 1’ or ‘Harvester 2’. Additionally, the proposal for flexible working hours aims to make plantation jobs more appealing to the youth. These measures are being studied by relevant ministries to assess their practicality and potential to attract local workers. The goal is to reduce dependency on foreign labor in the plantation sector, a field often associated with 3D jobs that do not attract locals.
