KOTA KINABALU: The Malaysian Palm Oil Association (MPOA) and Malaysian Estate Owners Association (MEOA) have appealed to the State Government to allow plantations and mills having no Covid-19 cases to resume operations in six districts.
In a joint statement, they said all operations would implement voluntary lockdowns and adhere to the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to mitigate Covid-19.
“We believe the Chief Minister and his Cabinet will be able to appreciate the overall view of the whole situation pertaining to Covid-19 and the oil palm sector.
“We appreciate and support the diligent measures taken by the State Government to curb the spread and also understand the threat posed by Covid-19 and share the continued concerns.
“Any further prolonged shutdown is a lost social-economic opportunity as commodity like palm oil is the only few sectors that can keep the economic momentum of the State running at the current downturn,” they said.
Shafie had said that the matter would be discussed at the State Cabinet meeting today (Wednesday).
Poram and several large companies including FGV, Sime Darby, KLK, Wilmar and Genting urged for removal of the shut-down of non-affected Covid-19 on oil palm operations in Tawau, Lahad Datu, Kinabatangan, Kunak, Semporna and Kalabakan.
“The associations are not aware of any new Covid-19 cases. Justifications have also been furnished as to why the sector should not be shut down and the potential risks that can be scary realities involving the estimated 100,000 foreign workers,” they said.
They said the social distancing in oil palm plantations is generally on average one worker per 10 acres.
“The wider concerns of many planters are the potential heightening of social tensions arisen from prolonged shutdown,” they said.
After 14 days of shutdown in three districts namely in Tawau, Lahad Datu and Kinabatangan and seven days in Kunak, Semporna and Kalabakan, both associations said the motion of effects have already set in.
“Any prolonged shutdown will only worsen the situation. Planters on the ground are already lamenting of huge crop losses and that their fields have gone unattended and weeds creeping in.
“This would entail remedial rehabilitation work post Covid-19 which will be a costly exercise and whether there will be workers available then to carry out the tasks.
“Planters and smallholders are desperate as they cannot harvest nor sell their crops, some reported that some workers have also started to leave their plantation for unknown places after collecting their last month’s pay while some have yet to receive their pay and uneasiness is brewing.
“Already smallholders are heard lamenting that they are finding hard to have food on their tables especially if the shutdown is prolonged further,” they said.
http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/news/150399/plantations-remain-hopeful/
Source: dailyexpress.com
By: Hayati Dzulkifli