Foreign labour in oil palm estates a necessity: MPOASaturday, July 14, 2001(The Star)- THE use of foreign labour in oil palmestates is no more one of choice but one of necessity, according to theMalaysian Palm Oil Association (MPOA).Thus, the association wants the Budget 2002 to address the real costs ofusing foreign labour.MPOA said this in its memorandum for the Budget 2002 dialogue.The MPOA proposals also covered three other areas--the palm oil industryspecifically, the plantation industry in general and taxation.MPOA said that although the matters it submitted for consideration werelargely a restatement and reiteration of its stand in the previous year,the overall picture had now come into more clear focus."There is now more light than heat on the various issues affecting theindustry. It would be useful to relook at some of the pertinent issuesagain in the clear light of the latest developments," the associationsaid."Malaysia's economy used to be largely agrarian. In recent yearsagriculture has taken a back seat with the nation successfully pursuing anindustrialisation policy," it said. "The plantation sector however remainsa major contributor to the gross domestic product, but its share isdwindling vis-a-vis manufacturing."