02/10/2012 (New Straits Times) - If Tan Sri Bernard Dompok had his way, he would look into ways to train rubber tappers and oil palm harvesters.

The plantation and commodities minister said youths trained with such skills could earn a living in the agricultural sector.

"I see the direction of our education system moving towards helping students secure jobs early because they have the right training," he said, adding that many countries progressed because they had a ready workforce.

Dompok said this at a ceremony to present awards to last year's top achievers of SM St Michael.

He said the ministry had initiated a plan to set up an institute that would provide skills training in the sector.

"Through IMPAC (Institute of Malaysian Plantation and Commodities), we hope to educate more people, including rubber tappers.

"At present, we 'import' a lot of tappers. In Sarawak for instance, tappers come from China and they are doing well."

He also said the recruitment of such foreign tappers could be reduced if locals received the right training.

"Those who are good can be promoted to become supervisors and they can be sent for further training."

On claims by the opposition that the 2013 Budget was an "election budget", Dompok said it made the same statement in the last general election.