PETALING JAYA: The latest call for automation in the plantation industry by a minister shows a lack of understanding of the processes involved, says Penang deputy chief minister P Ramasamy.
Referring to recent comments by plantation industries and commodities minister Zuraida Kamaruddin on automation in the palm oil industry, the DAP leader said the suggestions she gave will have no effect at all.
“The minister suggested using drones to increase surveillance or for spraying weed killers but these are external to the production process.
“Automation in these areas will have no effect on the production process,” he said in a statement, adding that it also showed how her concerns were superficial and shallow by only talking about the externalities of automation.
On Friday, Zuraida was reported to have said that automation with the use of drones for surveillance and spraying weed killers might help the palm oil industry reduce its dependency on foreign labour and also increase its attraction to local labour.
Ramasamy said any discussion on technological changes via automation to the plantation industry should be made to the full production process but admitted it would be difficult to implement.
“By definition, the plantation industry, whether in the production of palm oil or rubber or any other raw material products, is supposed to be labour intensive in nature.
“Labour intensive industries, whether they are plantations or other forms of low-cost production activities, invariably depend on cheap labour or in other words forced labour,” he said.
The Perai assemblyman added, however, that enhancing the use of technology could be done by diversifying downstream activities through a process of industrialisation.
“Rather than simply exporting crude palm oil either from the fruit or the kernel, the focus should be in coming out with differentiated products from the oil extracted.
“It is about turning palm oil into finished products with the use of technology and with the added value of labour,” Ramasamy said.
“Technological innovation takes place in the plantation industries when labour is recognised for its contribution towards the full production process.” - FMT
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