SEGAMAT: All contractors supplying plantation workers will now have to register with the Labour Department , Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam said yesterday.

The contractors would also have to provide records of their workers.

"They must provide details about their workers like Employees Provident Fund (EPF) and the Social Security Organisation (Socso) payments as provided for under the Employment Act," said Dr Subramaniam after opening a Labour Department staff mini-carnival here.

He said the ministry had received reports of plantation workers not being paid as per their agreement with the contractors.

The ministry will monitor plantations to ensure that workers are paid reasonable wages and that employers contributed to the workers' EPF and Socso funds, he said.
Dr Subramaniam also said the government was confident it would be able to reduce the number of foreign workers, from 2.1 million currently to 1.8 million by 2010.

He said the government had put in place measures to enable local workers to take over jobs currently held by foreigners, such as training.

He said the ministry's Skills Development Department had training opportunities for the youth and local workers through the National Dual Training System.

He urged employers to give priority to local workers as many of them had the qualification and skills.

Dr Subramaniam said the ministry had a job registration and matching system.

Job advertisements can be viewed at www.elx.gov.my and which are aired daily over RTM 1 during the Selamat Pagi Malaysia programme and on RTM 2 during the Hello On Two programme from 7.45am to 10.30am. -- Bernama