Locals encouraged to work in construction, agriculture, plantation sectors

KUALA LUMPUR: The government is intensifying efforts to create more employment opportunities for locals in the construction, agriculture and plantation sectors to replace foreign labour, said Human Resource Deputy Minister Awang Hashim.

He said in an effort to encourage more local workforce participation in the sectors, the government had instructed employers to advertise job vacancies on the MYFutureJobs portal, effective from Nov 1.

He said it was due to the shortage of foreign workers holding Temporary Employment Visit Passes (PLKS) who have returned to their country of origin and were unable to return to Malaysia because of the closure of national borders due to the COVID-19 pandemic since March.

“PLKS holders for the construction sector recorded a total of 406,369 people in March 2020 and decreased to 337,426 people in November 2020.

“PLKS holders for the agriculture and plantation sector recorded a total of 143,348 people in March 2020 and decreased to 111,140 people in November 2020,” he said in reply to a question from Senator Nuridah Mohd Salleh regarding the increase in the percentage of local workers in the construction, agriculture and plantation sectors in the country.

Awang said 6,803 local workers had filled vacancies in the construction sector and 2,143 people in the agriculture and plantation sectors during the period.

-- BERNAMA