4/5/06 Kota Kinabalu (Sabah Daily Express) -  Science Advisor to the Chief Minister Datuk Tham Nyip Shen said the Federal Government should take a proactive approach by going to the ground and approaching the industry players that employ foreign workers, in ensuring that all are registered.

He said this was because the plantations are huge and organising people to come to the office not only takes time, but there may also be a problem verifying the workers.

"Any waiting in the office costs time and affects the production," he said in response to a call by the Federal Ministry of Human Resource to employers to register their foreign workers or face a stern action.

"It is already well known and well accepted that Sabah is already the poorest state in the country. There is no reason why the Federal Government and agencies concerned cannot do something to help in this. "In the case of the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP), obviously there are meaningful allocations, but the Government can also from the point of management take a proactive step to work with the employers and register these workers so not to disturb their productivity," said Tham.

We are aware that currently palm oil is making money. We are also aware that they are using a lot of foreign labourers and that the Government is trying their best to encourage the locals to replace these foreign workers "But until and unless this is done properly, any disruption in this sector will only hurt Sabah's economy and people.

"I encourage the Ministry concerned to take proactive steps to resolve the problem faced by the Ministry and also by the employers."