STA seeks right to source foreign workers
Currently, the state government only allows the employment of Indonesian workers. If the employment of foreign workers is allowed from only one source country, the industry is often compelled to comply with the terms of employment determined by the sole source country, some of which do not commensurate with our labour laws.
KUCHING: The Sarawak Timber Association ( STA) is urging the state government to allow the timber industry to employ foreign workers from other countries and not just from a particular country.
According to its chairman Pemanca Datuk Wong Kie Yik, the industry employed many foreign workers who were willing to work in deep, remote forest areas and mills as the small population in Sarawak was unable to meet the manpower requirements of the forestry and timber industry.
“Currently, the state government only allows the employment of Indonesian workers. If the employment of foreign workers is allowed from only one source country, the industry is often compelled to comply with the terms of employment determined by the sole source country, some of which do not commensurate with our labour laws.
“This has unnecessarily caused the delay in recruitment, affecting
Pemanca Datuk Wong Kie Yik, STA chairman
production as well as increase the costs of employment,” he said prior to chairing the STA annual general meeting (AGM) 2016 at Wisma STA here yesterday.
Wong also pointed out that the federal government’s sudden decisions to change policies on the employment of foreign workers, particularly on the increase in levies and freezing of foreign workers recruitment, were often made without proper consultations with the industries, which were caught off guard.
These changes, he said, would have huge implications on the industries.
“Although we are given to understand that these policies are not applicable to Sarawak yet, the industry may find it hard to cope should these policies be implemented.
“Hence, STA would like to call upon the government to conduct proper consultations with the industries before making any decisions,” he remarked, adding that the association strongly believed that any changes in employment policies should be introduced gradually, taking into consideration all the needs of all stakeholders.
Wong also noted that the association anticipated a challenging year for the timber industry in 2016.
“As a land-based industry, the operation of the forestry and timber industry in Sarawak is labour intensive and carried out in the interior of Sarawak under difficult terrain with poor infrastructure.
“These factors contribute to a significant portion of the costs to the industry, which in recent years have increased significantly due to the changes in the policies and procedures by the government, thus rendering our timber products uncompetitive.
“STA is concerned that any changes to the policies and procedures, if implemented without consulting the industry and giving ample grace period for the industry to prepare, will put the industry at a disadvantage,” he said.
At the AGM, Wong was reelected as STA chairman for the 2016-2017 term.
Among office- bearers also reelected are Tan Sri Datuk Sir Tiong Hiew King (vice chairman) and Tan Sri Datuk Ling Chiong Ho (vice chairman), Dato Henry Lau Lee Kong ( honorary secretary) and Philip Choo Kwong Hui ( honorary treasurer).