Sabah’s foreign worker plan may include their spouses

KOTA KINABALU: While peninsular Malaysia is thinking of restricting the intake of foreign workers, Sabah is toying with the idea of lifting the ban.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal said the idea to bring in spouses of foreign worker could help to address the severe shortage of oil palm workers in plantations.

“This is being worked out by a special state committee with the Immigration Department.

“The committee is also looking into the possibility of providing special passes to existing foreign workers in the estates,” he said after chairing the first state security council meeting yesterday.

Mohd Shafie said the move was a “quick fix solution” to make it conducive for foreign workers to work longer in plantations.

“You cannot separate them from their families for long periods. So, if they want to bring in their wives, they should be given that space,” he said.

Mohd Shafie said the committee, to be headed by state secretary Tan Sri Sukarti Wakiman, would prepare a detailed plan for special passes to be issued to these foreign workers in “a week or two”.

“They previously were unable to get the passes due to work permit requirements. These special passes will not be permanent documents but to legalise foreign workers in plantations at present,” he said.