Plantations should use technologies — director

SANDAKAN: The local plantation sector is encouraged to develop technologies that can facilitate the plantation activities while reducing dependence on foreign labor.

Sabah Department of Labour (JTK) director Kamal Pardi said the plantation sector should take the example from developed countries who had been using technology to create modern machinery for the purpose of collecting or harvesting.

“Through the YouTube site, we can see some developed countries using machines to collect crops like grapes and corn, which is something new to us.

“But it is not wrong if our young generation try to develop technology that can help to facilitate farming work such as machinery that can be used for oil palm bunches or rubber tapping.

“With the Industry Revolution (IR4) having been launched, the Technical and Vocational Training (TVET) which is being upgraded, can be a platform to invent technology,” he said when opening the Plantation Convention (KONPENS 2.0) at the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel here yesterday.

A total of 230 participants attended the one-day convention filled with presentations of five working papers on policy and labour issues, minimum wage execution, employee employment in the plantation sector, workers’ health and safety and health services.

Commenting further, Kamal said the department knew that foreign workers had been employed in the plantation sector across the country.

“However, in recent years, many social problems arose involving these foreign workers. In that regard, it is time to change our conventional works in the plantation sector by using modern technology.”