PETALING JAYA: Efforts to fast-track the hiring process of foreign workers, especially for the plantation industry, are now under way under a task force comprising several ministries and agencies, says a palm oil industry leader.

       The hiring is being ramped up to ensure Malaysia can benefit after Indonesia announced its decision to halt palm oil exports.

       Malaysian Palm Oil Association chief executive officer Datuk Nageeb Wahab said the special task force was formed following a meeting on Wednesday involving the Human Resources, Home, Health, Plantation Industries and Commodities ministries and the Immigration Department.

       “We are not fully exploiting our advantage because we are short of workers. The government sees the urgency and has set up the task force purely to look at hiring guest workers here.

       “For the plantation industry, the arrival of 32,000 workers will be fast-tracked.

       “The government approved it eight months ago,” said Nageeb, who attended the meeting.

       He said the task force would supplement the current One-Stop Centre headed by the Human Resources Ministry to expedite the hiring process.

       On the meeting, Nageeb said it involved ministerial officials and members of leading plantation industry players such as IOI Plantation, KLK Plantation, Sime Darby Plantation and Boustead Plantation.

       “They have answered a lot of our concerns and shortcomings and are willing to address the weaknesses of the process.

       “This is good news and I’m positive that the workers’ issues will be addressed soon,” he added.

       On Indonesia’s move to ban palm oil exports, Nageeb said Malaysia would not be in the same boat as Indonesia, as the republic’s decision was made to address its people’s protests and supply shortages.

       “Malaysia produces slightly less than half (of Indonesia’s production) and our population is only 10% of theirs.

       “I don’t think Malaysia will ever be in their situation,” he said, adding that Malaysia also has a subsidy scheme for cooking oil at the government’s expense.

       Nageeb said Indonesia’s decision is a “boon” to Malaysia, which will increase crude palm oil (CPO) prices.

       “The only problem is we cannot fully exploit that advantage. So at the end of the day, it’s all about workers’ issues.

       “The good thing from this episode is that the government is now giving more attention to our plight of worker shortage, and it has fast-tracked the whole process of us bringing in the workers.

       “We expect the bulk of them to come after Hari Raya Aidilfitri,” he said, adding that plantation companies are hoping for Indonesian workers as they have the skills and are good at harvesting jobs.

       With palm oil fetching a good price, Nageeb said owners and smallholders should be wary and not be overwhelmed by the high profits.

       “The price of CPO was around RM6,300 per tonne in the first quarter of this year. All of us are enjoying good returns.

       “But owners and smallholders have to be cautious as the good numbers may camouflage the inefficiencies and the cost of production which has gone up high of late.”