Cooperatives in plantation sector can hire foreign workers, says Noh Omar

 

Entrepreneur development and cooperatives minister Noh Omar says his ministry hopes that more cooperatives will respond to the government’s call to generate more produce.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Cabinet agreed yesterday that cooperatives involved in the plantation sector will be given the opportunity to recruit foreign workers, effective immediately.

Entrepreneur development and cooperatives minister Noh Omar said this was to enable cooperatives to be involved in the cultivation of crops such as corn.

He said under the existing regulations set by the human resources ministry, a company must be registered with the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM) if they wanted to apply to recruit foreign workers.

“However, the cooperatives are not registered under SSM because they are under the Cooperative Commission of Malaysia (SKM).

“But the Cabinet yesterday agreed that cooperatives involved in plantations can apply to recruit foreign workers. The verification of these cooperatives will be referred to SKM,” he told reporters at the launch of SKM’s strategic plan 2021-2025, at Dewan Perdana Felda today.

Noh said his ministry hoped that many cooperatives would come forward and respond to the government’s call to cultivate food products as currently, there were over 20 cooperatives nationwide with over 1,000ha of plantation land.

“In the 2021-2030 Malaysian cooperative policy, we have asked the cooperatives to help the public in dealing with the hike in prices of goods, especially chicken.

“Therefore, an agricultural body has already been established under SKM to help and encourage cooperatives to be involved in the agricultural sector,” he added. - FMT