Tuesday July 27, 2004 - KUCHING: The Plantation Industries and CommoditiesMinistry is exploring the possibility of setting up a training instituteto produce a pool of skilled young Malaysians to work in the plantations.

Minister Datuk Peter Chin Fah Kui said, however, that it had yet to decideif the ministry would set up the proposed institute by itself, throughcollaboration with other agencies or the private sector.

We hope to provide training to young Malaysians, like SPM holders, so thatthey can manage plantations in a more efficient and productive manner, hetold reporters after opening a seminar at Kuching Hilton yesterday.

The seminar, themed Enhancing the Sarawak Palm Oil Industry was organisedby the Malaysian Palm Oil Promotion Council.

At the opening ceremony, Chin said the country’s oil palm estates dependedheavily on foreign labour who made up some 70% of the 350,000 workers.

Labour scarcity is a big worry for us. We are working with other agencieson ways to best manage foreign workers, he said.